


Felicity's Sweet Revenge

by TinaDay3W



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU, Architects, Coworkers to lovers, F/M, Fantasy Sex, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-24
Updated: 2015-06-12
Packaged: 2018-03-19 10:22:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 98,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3606600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinaDay3W/pseuds/TinaDay3W
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Olicity AU - After six years as Oliver Queen's secretary, Felicity is finally quitting her job at Arrow Architecture. And now that she's finished being the stony architect's office slave, Felicity has decided to go out with a bang (hee hee!) and get some fun-and-sexy fantasy fulfillment before she walks out of his life for good.  But nothing ever goes the way you plan, does it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's Hard To Snuggle Up To A Marble Column

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first fanfiction and I'm really excited. Had to do a boss/secretary thing, because apparently I never got over the joy of that in Season 2! I'd love to know what you think. Come follow me on Tumblr at TinaDay3W - I would love to chat Olicity (or romance in general!)

The envelope itched Felicity’s hand.  Maybe, after so many years working in the secretarial arts, she’d finally developed an allergy to paper. Or maybe the odd reaction came from the contents, not the container.  Glancing down, she read the name typed across the envelope’s face: _Oliver Queen_.

Felicity dragged her eyes up to the impressive entrance of the building before her. With a deep breath, she began climbing the ivory stone steps as she had each day for six years, passing the all-too-familiar entry marker:  _Arrow Architecture_.  Her heart squeezed as she continued up, still as awed by the beauty of her workplace as her wide-eyed self, just out of college, had been the first time she crossed the threshold. 

A lot had changed since those first moments.  Back then, she’d been flustered by the captivating Mr. Queen, and her mouth had run wild on more than one, or possibly more than a thousand, different occasions. But now, Felicity prided herself on the fact that she didn’t babble around Oliver anymore.  After six years of exposure to him, and by _exposure_ she meant being around him day in and day out, not _exposing_ herself to him – well, other than that one time she’d gotten the back of her skirt stuck in her underpants on the way out of the bathroom and Oliver had whispered gently into her ear that she might want to return to the restroom before they walked into their client meeting together – she’d learned not to let her mouth go into overdrive just because Oliver Queen stood near her. 

Yes, she was stronger now. Strong, determined, independent. And ready to tackle everything that lay before her.

When she reached the top stair, Felicity drank in the sight of the impressive stone and marble edifice before her.  To her, the building now represented the man inside it – handsome, hardened, structural perfection.

 _But no one can snuggle up to a marble column, can they?_   

Felicity smoothed over her blond hair, making sure it was still neatly ensconced in its high ponytail, as she reached the towering glass front doors. She grasped the gleaming scrolled handle with determination.  This was it. The first day of the rest of her life. The day she stopped being Oliver Queen’s Go-To Girl, or Super Secretary, or Executive Assistant Extraordinaire, or anything else.  The day she told him she would leave...for good.

 ...

Oliver Queen sat at his desk, running his fingers across the deep black surface of the oversized, angular block of wood.  No carvings, no ornamentation, no distraction.  Nothing to detract from its simplistic beauty. It always seemed like the perfect work surface.  Until today. 

With unbidden curiosity, he looked out of his open door, down the elongated hallway, and into the office opposite his.  Tommy Merlyn, his business partner and longtime friend, sat behind his desk as well. Except Tommy’s desk was an antique Colonial number, covered in swirls and etchings, a conversation piece that set their female clientele atwitter.  That was Tommy’s specialty:  awe and beauty. Oliver laid foundations, planned supports, and engineered structures.  Tommy decorated them.

Oliver never envied his old college buddy before.  He never wanted to be the schmoozer of their dynamic duo.  He never wanted to change places.  At least, not until now. 

Oliver watched Tommy’s eyes light up as Laurel, Tommy’s secretary, sauntered into the distant room. Except she wasn’t just his secretary anymore.  Today wasn’t just any Monday; today marked their return from their honeymoon, back to the office as husband and wife. 

It wasn’t Laurel herself that made Oliver envious; he’d never paid much attention to her and, honestly, he got the feeling she didn’t really care for him.  No, the reason Oliver envied Tommy today was because Tommy was now a happily married man.

Oliver exhaled, watching as Laurel bent down and kissed Tommy on the lips, lingering a little too long, until Tommy pinched her skirt-clad bottom and Laurel arched up and giggled. Oliver tried to look away quickly, but Tommy caught his eye.  Oliver nodded solemnly, attempting to tamp down his voyeuristic guilt, hoping that would be the end of the uncomfortable moment.  But then Tommy stood and began navigating the lengthy hall. 

Oliver cringed.  Clasping his hands before him on the desktop, he steeled himself for Tommy’s arrival.

“You’ve got your door open today,” Tommy noted as he stepped into the stately office.

“Yes.”

“Why? Normally you’re holed up in here like some mad scientist.”

“I prefer mad architect, thank you.”

Tommy laughed. “Well, you’re the brains of this operation, so do what you need to.  I just didn’t want you to worry.”

“About what?”

“Me and Laurel. We’ll be professional; I promise. You don’t have to leave your door open to keep an eye on us.”

“I wasn’t. I was just…”  He wasn’t sure what he’d been doing.  “I was just getting some fresh air.”

Tommy folded his arms across his chest and stared him down.  “What’s eating you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Something’s bothering you. Let me guess…Isabel Rochev.”

Oliver shook his head and turned to look out the arched window. 

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Tommy continued.  “You two break up again?”

“A while ago. Before your wedding.”

“How many times is that now? Ten since college?”

Oliver shrugged. “About that.”  He kept looking out the window, to the park across the street. The urge to run out of the building and roll around in the grass nearly overtook him.  “It’s for good this time.  She and I…we just don’t…”

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Felicity’s voice came from behind Tommy.

Oliver straightened in his oversized thick leather chair, pinning his eyes on his secretary. “Yes, Miss Smoak?”

“I didn’t expect the door to be open,” Felicity explained.  “I meant to knock.”

“It’s no problem,” Oliver assured, watching Felicity smile at Tommy before turning her light blue eyes back to him.

“Um, well, I just wanted to go over your appointments for the week, Mr. Queen.” 

Oliver heard a slight quaver in her voice.  “I got your memo outlining everything on Friday.  Has anything changed?” 

He watched her press her glasses up higher on her nose, saw a minute tremble in her purple painted fingertips.

“No, I guess not,” she said.

Oliver focused on her bright fuchsia mouth as she nibbled her lower lip. 

Felicity cleared her throat, diverting his attention back to her eyes.  “I guess I’ll let you and Mr. Merlyn get back to business, then.” She nodded at Tommy, spun on her bright red high heels, and disappeared.

Oliver stared blankly at the space she’d just occupied.  “Something’s wrong with her,” he realized, speaking more to himself than to his friend.

Tommy’s eyebrow shot up. “Excuse me?”

“Felicity is a wreck.”

“A _wreck_?”

“Didn’t you notice?”

“Um, no. She looked as gorgeous as ever.”

Oliver cut his eyes to Tommy’s.  “Watch it. You’re a married man now.”

Tommy grinned. “Yeah, but you’re not.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m just saying, dating your secretary can be quite an experience.  You might want to think about it.”

Oliver’s eyes widened. “You do realize you’re talking about Felicity, right?”

“Yeah, I do.” With a suggestive grin and a nod, Tommy turned and exited, his chuckles trailing down the hall all the way back to his office. 

Oliver stared after him. Why on earth would Tommy suggest he get involved with Felicity?  Felicity wasn’t just a secretary; she was a professional woman.  Not to say Laurel wasn’t, but this was different. Felicity was…Felicity.

Shaking his head and reaching beneath his desk, Oliver pulled his laptop from its case and placed it carefully on the smooth surface.  As the computer whirred to life, he put Tommy's unsettling thought from his mind. He couldn’t devote precious work time to one of his partner’s random notions.  He would, as always, be the sensible one.  The planner, not the dreamer.

Hours later, Oliver caught himself staring into space for the umpteenth time.  Running a hand over the tense muscles in the back of his neck, he sucked in a deep breath and tried to refocus.  His laptop usually offered him a happy place to delve into, to forget about the rest of the world and concentrate on the structures housed inside his mind.  But now, staring at the drafts for the new hospital wing – which would normally make an eight-hour day flash by in minutes – couldn’t hold his attention.  Not after seeing the happy Merlyn newlyweds grope each other this morning. And not after what Tommy had suggested to him.  And definitely not after hearing Felicity’s laugh drift down the hallway.

Her lively, animated giggles stirred something deep inside him and, before Oliver knew what he was doing, he stood and crossed his expansive office to his doorway. He glanced at Tommy, who sat in his distant office speaking enthusiastically on the phone, before stepping silently into the hall and turning left.  He tried to ignore the awkward feeling that he was sneaking around in his own building. 

With a few more steps, Oliver arrived at the door adjacent to his own.  Slowly and carefully, he peered into Felicity’s office.  He’d hoped to catch sight of her – her bobbing blond ponytail and her ever-present glasses and her bright, inviting lip gloss – but Laurel stood in front of his secretary’s desk, blocking his view.

“Can I tell you how awesome Cancun is?” Tommy’s new wife spouted to Felicity.  “The nude beach we stumbled on was hysterical! Although I’m telling you, some of those people have no right being nude in public…”

The sound came again: Felicity’s laugh. Loud, boisterous, too big for her body.

Oliver reconsidered Tommy’s odd thought.  _Could I date Felicity?  Could I be with a woman who laughs like that?  Isabel never laughed like that.  Not once._

Oliver wished Laurel would move; he wanted to get a better look at his secretary.  Which was ridiculous, since he’d seen her nearly every day for the past six years.

“I’m not sure about the nude beach thing,” Felicity replied to Laurel.  “All those people looking at you, and sand up in your pieces-parts? I don’t know if I could do it. Did you?”

Oliver didn’t hear Laurel’s response. He was too busy imagining a nude Felicity covered in sand.  _Damn it_.  _That does it.  Now I have to see her._

Stepping away from the wall, he pretended to walk purposefully past her door while casting a casual glance over his shoulder.  He figured she would be looking at Laurel, or at her desk.  She wasn’t.  Her blue eyes caught his and held them.  He almost tripped.

Felicity opened her mouth to speak to him but Oliver kept moving, knowing he was inadequately prepared to respond. He continued walking to the end of the hall, finding himself in their employee lounge for the first time in years.

Roy Harper and John Diggle from Accounting sat at a small round table, eating donuts.  “Mr. Queen,” they said in unison, obviously surprised by the sight of him. 

“Hello,” Oliver replied, watching Roy fumble with a napkin.

Diggle shifted in his seat. “Did you need something, Mr. Queen?”

 _Apparently I need a naked, sandy secretary_ , he considered, but didn’t think he should say it out loud.  “Just, um, coffee. Getting a cup of coffee.”

Diggle settled back down and smiled, returning to the glazed concoction in his fingers. Oliver walked to the counter by the refrigerator and, after opening several cabinets, found a usable cup. He poured the hot liquid in, its deep brown color bringing to mind Isabel’s hair.  His ex-girlfriend’s chocolate-colored tresses had always been perfectly coiffed, and Oliver learned through the years never to touch them, since Isabel hated having a single curl out of place. 

Oliver continued staring into the mug as he added in some fancy creamer he found sitting out on the counter. He stirred the new liquid in and watched the color change to a beautiful blond, much like Felicity’s gold halo of hair. She wore it down on occasion, but most of the time it was like it was today, pulled up into a ponytail high on the back of her head.  Oliver imagined how the blond strands would look against her skin if he pulled the tie out and let them fall down around her shoulders.  He wondered how soft it would be when he ran his fingers through it, and how she would look at him while he marveled at the sensation.

Oliver cursed under his breath as he set the coffeepot back on the burner.  _Why am I comparing Felicity to Isabel? Or imagining touching Felicity’s hair? What is wrong with me? She is my secretary. That’s all._

He picked up his cup, mumbled goodbye to Accounting, and marched himself back down the hall toward his office. He kept his head stiff, eyes forward. He wouldn’t look at Felicity _that_ way again.

Her inquisitive voice found him just as he’d passed her door.  “Um, Mr. Queen?”

He stopped cold. _Damn it. I’m not getting away that easy_.

Retracing his steps, he glanced into her office with the most innocent expression he could muster. “Yes, Miss Smoak?”

Felicity peered around Laurel, looking up at him from her chair.  “Why are you in the hall?  Did you need something?”

Oliver stared at Felicity’s lips.  The gloss she normally wore sparkled in the dull office light.  He wondered how it would taste.  “No,” he said, speaking more to himself than to her.

“Okay. I just wondered if I could help you.”

 _Can you help me?  I have no idea_. “Just got coffee. Heading back to my office now.”

“Alright, well…let me know if I can do anything for you.”  She leaned forward in her chair and the end of her ponytail swept across her shoulder, landing dangerously close to the swell of cleavage peeking out from her dark blue blouse.

Oliver cleared his throat. “Mmm-hmm.  Sure will.”  He shook his head and turned, heading back to the safety of his office.

 ...

Felicity watched Oliver walk away and waited until she heard his office door close before turning back to her friend.  “Well, that’s odd.”

Laurel’s eyebrow arched. “What is?”

“Mr. Queen hasn’t gotten his own cup of coffee in six years.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Laurel laughed. “Then you’re spoiling him. Whatever you do, don’t tell Tommy. I stopped getting him coffee eons ago.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You should stop, too. We’ve got enough to do around here; I swear it gets busier every day.  Let Queen get his own damn coffee.”

Felicity tried not to look guilty.  Getting coffee was trite compared to everything else she did for Oliver, from picking up his dry cleaning to buying gifts for his family members’ birthdays. If Laurel knew, her head might spin around.  But Laurel’s judgment couldn’t bother her now, not with Oliver acting so strange. Today of all days.

Felicity pressed her lips closed. _Could he know?_   No, he couldn’t know she was quitting.  No one knew except her faithful friend Caitlin Snow, who’d never met Oliver Queen in her life – although, with Felicity’s incessant ramblings, probably felt like she had.

“You alright?” Laurel questioned, pulling Felicity from her thoughts.

“Um, yeah. Just a lot of work,” she fibbed, knowing Laurel would be hurt by her impending departure.

“Okay, I’ll leave you to it, then.  But don’t work yourself to death over Oliver Queen.”

Felicity smiled. “Promise.”

Laurel exited as frantically as she’d entered and Felicity sat alone.  She thought about the envelope in her desk drawer, the one she’d been working up the courage for months to deliver.  Why did Oliver Queen have to pick today to act so out of character?

She’d already played out the scenario a hundred times in her head:  she would walk to his closed office door, knock, be allowed entry, hand him the envelope, watch impatiently as he read her resignation, hold her head upright as he looked at her disapprovingly, accept his coolly detached regards, and walk out.  And get back to her desk and cry a little, probably, over how easily he dismissed her. But then remind herself that she was a professional, with her own business to tend to, and finish out her last weeks here with her head held high. 

Unfortunately, her best-laid plans went belly-up the minute he’d left his door open this morning. She couldn’t tell him then, not with Tommy Merlyn standing in the same room.  And now her creature-of-habit boss was spending the morning walking the halls and getting his own coffee.  Apparently, all hell was breaking loose.

Felicity exhaled, staring at her computer screen.  The words blurred into hieroglyphics as she considered what to do next. Should she return to his office now? Or wait until after lunch? Or maybe the end of the workday? It had to be today; her nerves couldn’t handle another night of tossing and turning.

She pulled open her desk drawer and stared at the name on the envelope.

 _Oliver Queen_.  A man who’d spent countless nights in her bed.

But only in her dreams.

Felicity sighed. She never questioned the origins of her schoolgirl crush; it didn’t take a genius to figure out why an innocent, unskilled college grad would worship a handsome, successful young architect with purpose, drive, and resplendent manners.  What Felicity cursed herself for now was how she’d strived, in her exuberant youth, to be _more_ than his secretary. She’d made herself his wardrobe planner. His social calendar. His family go-between. She’d even been his chauffeur…although just once, and only because he’d sprained his ankle in a morning tennis match and needed to be at a client meeting that afternoon. And because he looked incredible in tennis shorts. Or in anything, really. The man’s body was positively sinful.

Still, everything she’d done to make herself irreplaceable hadn’t made Oliver look at her as any more than an employee.  No matter how short her skirts or how tight her shirts, she simply didn’t tempt the ever-stoic architect. And she was never able to bear watching him fall in and out of the arms of that scoffing socialite, Isabel Rochev, whose claws were dug permanently into his backside. 

Felicity had spent her first year (okay, years) at Arrow Architecture mooning over Oliver Queen. But then she started growing up, and she started to realize how futile her feelings were. And then, one day, she just made the decision to get on with her life.  She dated other men, one she even thought was serious enough to be forever. After that didn’t work out, she went to night school and quietly earned her MBA.  She started her own business on the weekends, small but increasingly successful, partnered with Caitlin, her college BFF.  And now she was ready to be her own boss fulltime, and she would quit Arrow Architecture and not look back. 

In just four weeks, Felicity would never come into this building again.  She would never sit at this desk.  She would never again look into Oliver’s perfect, brilliant blue eyes. Or watch the side of his mouth pull up during the infrequent moments when he let his sense of humor show. Or hear the deep, stirring cadence of his voice.

“Miss Smoak, may I have a word?”

 _That_ voice. 

Felicity’s breath hitched. Her eyes darted from the computer screen to her doorway, where he stood stiffly, hands at his sides, watching her. _Damn, the man is gorgeous._   _So unfair._

She slid her desk drawer closed.  “Yes, Mr. Queen. What can I do for you?”

He stepped into the room, his meticulously crafted charcoal suit highlighting broad shoulders and a chest she would pay good money to drool on.  She watched him approach, her mind searching to uncover the drive behind this morning’s unusual activity. 

On the outside, nothing seemed out of place.  He looked as stunning as always; Felicity especially loved his golden-brown hair and the designer stubble on his patrician jaw.  He held himself regally, like a highborn aristocrat, and she could easily imagine him fitting into the pages a centuries-old Victorian novel. In fact, she imagined that quite often. Except, in her Victorian fantasies, Oliver was a vampire.  Who really liked to bite her.  And not just on the neck.

She coughed to suppress a giggle as Oliver glanced at the artwork she’d hung on the walls. He focused in on her favorite movie poster of _Robin Hood_ starring the dashing Errol Flynn.  Felicity wasn’t sure if movie posters were the norm for professional offices, but she figured it went well with the whole “Arrow” theme of Arrow Architecture. And, as a totally random aside (not that her mind was prone to those, darn it), she’d never learned why Oliver chose that name for the firm, anyway.  At this point, she supposed she would never know.

As Oliver stared at the poster, the muscle across his jaw twitched, a sure sign that he was deep in thought. Felicity fidgeted with the short hem of her skirt.  Why was he here? He never left his office, not until everyone else was long gone for the night.  In fact, most of her coworkers were terrified of him and convinced that, if he ever did appear in the daytime, he’d fire someone.

 _Oh, frack._   _Is that it?  Has he decided to fire me?  Wouldn’t it figure that the day I finally work up the courage to quit, he fires me first? And if so, how dare he! After all I’ve done for him! Who does he even think he is? Well, he’s going to get a piece of my mind if he…_

Felicity stopped mentally-rambling the moment Oliver pinned her with his intense eyes. She swallowed hard.

He cleared his throat. “Felicity, there is something I need to ask you.  Well, something I need to say, really.”

Her breath caught when he said her name.  He never called her Felicity.  What the hell was happening right now?  “Yes?”

“I’m interested in you.”

Her brow quirked upward. “In what about me?”

“In you. I’m interested in _you_.”

Felicity stared. “Interested?” she repeated, certain he didn’t mean what it sounded like he meant.  She’d had men tell her they were interested before, generally with bedroom eyes.  But these – these were boardroom eyes. 

“Yes, quite interested,” he reiterated, his intent gaze never veering from her face.

She had no idea what alternate dimension she'd woken up in this morning, but after six years of working with this man, Felicity knew one thing for certain:  Oliver Queen was _not_ interested in her. She shook her head definitively. “No.”

He shifted his stance. “You mean no, you won’t consider me?”

“I mean no, you’re not interested in me.”

His impressive shoulders shrugged beneath his tailored coat.  “But I just said I was.”

A laugh escaped her throat. “Um, no offense, Mr. Queen, but I’ve been working here for six years and you’ve never looked at me twice. Am I to understand you’ve developed some sort of attraction to me _today_?”

“What if I said yes?”

“Then I’d say you lost your mind.”

“So you’re saying you won’t consider dating me?”

Felicity opened her mouth but nothing came out.  _This isn’t really happening, is it?  All these years, all this time…and_ now _he asks me out?_   Part of her, a ridiculously huge part, wanted to scream, “ _Yes!  Yes! Yes_!” and jump across the desk at him. The more mature, slightly smaller, part of her knew she couldn’t.  She couldn’t let him deter her. 

Felicity reached for the envelope. “Mr. Queen, I actually have something to tell you…” 

“Alright,” he interrupted. “You can tell me over lunch.”

“Lunch?”

“You like Italian, right? Everyone likes Italian.”

“Yes, I love Italian, but…”

“Great. Let me grab my keys and we’ll head out.”

“Um…” She attempted a protest, but he simply turned and left. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Arrow :( No copyright infringement intended.


	2. Dazed and Confused

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olicity AU - After six years as Oliver Queen's secretary, Felicity is finally quitting her job at Arrow Architecture. And now that she's finished being the stony architect's office slave, Felicity has decided to go out with a bang (hee hee!) and get some fun-and-sexy fantasy fulfillment before she walks out of his life for good. But nothing ever goes the way you plan, does it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!! Thank you so, so much for the overwhelming support for this story! I have loved every kudo and comment and am just giddy with excitement. Some asked about how often I would be posting; I have this story all mapped out (I'm OCD like that) so I should be able to do 1-2 chapters a week, provided real life doesn't get in the way (don't you hate it when that happens!). Please keep the comments coming...I would love to know what you think about this! And come follow me on Tumblr at TinaDay3W to chat anytime :)

The inviting waitress in the nearby Italian establishment sported a low-cut blouse, highlighting her buxom chest and the multiple tattoos on her shapely arms, but Oliver’s eyes never left his secretary’s face.  Felicity tried not to fidget, knowing how intense Mr. Queen could be when he wanted something done.  He’d just never tried to do _her_ before.

She still couldn’t believe this peculiar turn of events.  Why _today_ , of all days?  This must be some massive celestial event gone awry, or a bizarre test by the god of secretaries, or the strangest coincidence on the planet. Except Felicity didn’t believe in coincidence, and she really needed to figure out the reasoning behind her boss’s strange behavior.  She hated mysteries. 

But, whether she solved this wacky-boss dilemma or not, Felicity knew one thing for certain: she _would_ resign today.  Fingering the envelope she’d laid inconspicuously in her lap, she watched the waitress deposit their drinks before sauntering off.

Oliver sipped his tea. “So, Felicity, what do you want to talk to me about?”

She took a deep breath. “Mr. Queen, I need to…”

“Oliver.”

“What?”

“Please call me Oliver.”

“But I’ve never called you Oliver.”

“Yes, I know.”

“And you never call me Felicity.”

“Something I would like to change.”

“Why?”

“Because, if we’re dating, I would like to call you by your first name.”

“We’re not dating. And that’s not what I meant. I meant why _now_?  Why _today_?”

He eyed his tea, took a long drink, and then set the glass precisely centered on the colorful coaster before looking back to her.  “Why not?”

Felicity had a perfectly good answer. Her heart sputtered as she brought the envelope up and slid it across the table.  “Here.”

Oliver glanced down at his name written on the envelope face.  “What is this?”

“Just open it, please.”

She held her breath as he opened, unfolded, and read her resignation.  She knew the words by heart; they were professional and brief. No flowery speeches to end this relationship.

Only a few hour-long moments passed before he set the paper down.  Felicity watched with nerve-wracking anticipation as he refolded the sheet and slid it back into the envelope, allowing it to fall onto the table. His steel eyes found hers. “I don’t want to accept this.”

“Well,” she said, clearing her throat, “that’s not your choice.”

His brow furrowed. “Have I offended you that deeply?”

“Offended me?”

“By asking you out,” he clarified, drawing his solid body up to its impressive height, even while sitting.

Felicity shook her head. “No.  That’s not it; this isn’t about today.”

“Then what is it about?”

“It’s just time for me to move on.”

Oliver’s severe gaze held her, as it had so many times in the past, but never on this personal a level. “I knew something was wrong this morning,” he said, his voice softer than usual.  “And I always knew you’d move on eventually.  You were far too bright for this position the day you first stepped into my office.  I guess I just thought I’d have some kind of warning before you left.  More than a few hours, anyway.”

Well, that was more praise than he’d given her in…ever.  Felicity fumbled a response.  “As it, um, as it says in, uh, the letter, I’ll stay for four more weeks.”

“That is when the Starling County Club is unveiling their new conference center.  Tommy and I are supposed to be there.”

“Yes, I know.” She was fully aware of the high-profile situation for Arrow Architecture.  The company had put countless hours into design and construction for the Starling Country Club’s newest structure.  The conference center was gorgeous, and the upcoming unveiling would be an event of monumental proportions, with old and new money as far as the eye could see. “I promise you, I will make sure everything goes smoothly on our end.  I’ve already ordered your tuxedo, and…”

“And will you be there?”

“I was never supposed to be. You were going to bring a date.”

Oliver rested back against his seat and smiled.  “As I said, I want you to be there.”

Felicity raised an eyebrow. “Are you still going on about the dating thing?  I just quit. Doesn’t that change things?”

“No.”

He said the word so simply, as if he’d predetermined the two of them together.  While that option would have curled her toes on many an occasion, now it just meant he wasn’t taking her seriously.  “Look, Mr. Queen…”

“Oliver.”

She sighed. “Look, Oliver, we need to hammer out some details about my leaving.  The new structural engineers you hired are performing well and the accounting department has finally gotten all the glitches out of their computer system, so things should flow pretty smoothly.  You’ll need a new secretary, of course, but I’m willing to train my replacement. I’ll even hire someone if you like.” Felicity would make sure he had the best secretary possible – she’d be sixty and toothless, of course, but damn efficient.

His facial expression never wavered from overwhelming self-assurance.  “What are you doing for dinner tonight, Felicity?”

“Wow, really? Didn’t you hear a word I said?”

“I heard everything you said. You’ve planned your departure with all the precision you’re known for.  I’m sure it will all turn out the way it is supposed to.  But now, as I said earlier today, what I’m interested in is you.”

Felicity sat motionless, watching his lips move as they produced the most incredible words she’d ever heard. For a moment, she was dazed by the thought.  Her mind leapt into the fantasy world she’d kept hidden inside for so long, the world where Oliver was madly in love with her and everything was perfect and wonderful and they frequently ran together, hand-in-hand, through fields of wildflowers. It was a world she tried not to visit too often, since she understood just how unrealistic it all was. But sitting here now, looking into Oliver’s warm, sincere eyes, she didn’t know what to think. Was this possible? Could she date Oliver Queen? Did he want her, even if she left the office? Even if she no longer did his daily bidding?  Did he want her instead of that spoiled rich chick?  And where was that creature, anyway?

Felicity tamped down her daydreams and steadied herself, looking Oliver squarely in the eye. “What about Isabel Rochev?” she challenged, assessing his response.

The muscle in his jaw twitched.  “What about her?”

“I’m familiar with your relationship.”  Hell, she’d watched the woman drag Oliver around, dumping, using, and re-dumping him, for years.  “Where is she?”

“I have no idea.  Nor do I want to. Isabel is out of my life.”

Felicity nibbled her lip, wondering how far she could push for information now, when they’d never before discussed such personal issues. “Can I ask what happened?”

“It just wasn’t a good relationship,” he stated, leaning closer. “And what about you? Are you over that Cooper person?”

“ _Cooper_?”  Felicity was certain she’d never mentioned his name to her boss. “How do you know about Cooper?”

His voice lowered. “I pay attention, Felicity. You may not think so, but there are a lot of things I see.”

Felicity shifted in her seat.  _She_ was the one who knew _him_ inside and out, not the other way around.  “Yeah, well, I see lots of things, too.  I know you’re not done with Isabel.  You never will be.”

The waitress came with their meals but Felicity barely noticed her…not with Oliver staring her down across the table. 

“And how are you so certain of that?” he asked when the tattooed attendant exited again.

Felicity took a bite of her salad, chewing on her lettuce and on his words.  “Because that’s how those relationships are,” she explained between mouthfuls. “People who get trapped in situations like that – going back to someone over and over again even though they keep falling into the same old patterns – don’t just break away with a few simple words.  It’s not that easy.”

“It sounds like you’re speaking from personal experience.”

Felicity got a raisin stuck in her throat and coughed.  Copious amounts of ingested water later, she considered confiding in him…but then decided she wasn’t opening _that_ can of worms.  “I just watch a lot of talk shows,” she answered instead. 

Oliver shook his head. “He hurt you badly, didn’t he?”

“Who?”

“Cooper.”

She stabbed a crouton with her fork.  “Why would you say that?”

“Other than you mutilating salad condiments at the mention of his name?  I told you, Felicity…I pay attention.  You were different after your breakup with Cooper.  You didn’t laugh the way you normally do. You stopped tossing your ponytail around when you told a story.   You even stopped rolling your eyes at me behind your glasses, like you do when you think I’m not watching.  You just weren’t yourself.”

Heat crept into her cheeks. Did Oliver Queen know her that well? Before today, she would have sworn up and down he didn’t even know she was female.

“I’m glad you’re back to your normal self now,” he continued.  “I hope that means you’re over him.  I hope you can move on to someone new.  Someone like me.”

Felicity set her fork down. She stared at her boss. “I can’t believe you’re doing this _now_ ,” she spoke more to herself than to him.  “After all this time, after everything I’ve done for you and all the ways I’ve made myself the most indispensable employee…”

“Are you angry with me? Do you feel I’ve taken advantage of you?”

“No.” Maybe it wasn’t entirely the truth, but in all honesty she was much angrier with herself for everything she’d done to get him to notice her.

“Well, you should be angry with me, Felicity.”

Her eyebrow arched. “Really?  What for?”

“Because I _did_ take advantage of you.  You, and your amazing organizational skills.  Let’s face it; in order to focus on my job, I let you take over every part of my life that I didn’t consider important. From my wardrobe to…”

“Your family.”

He nodded, staring down at his untouched manicotti.  “Yes, them.”

“That reminds me, Barry called earlier today and said he wants to get together with you for golf later this month.  Oh, and I made sure Thea will get her birthday gift on Thursday.”

Oliver looked back to her eyes.  “I will call my brother back about the golfing.  And thank you for taking care of my sister’s birthday, yet again.  Can I ask what she’ll get this year?”

“You’re in a good mood this year.  She’ll get a hefty gift certificate to a lovely day spa.”

“I am in a good mood, aren’t I?” A smile crept onto his lips. “I should tell you, Thea will miss you very much when you leave.  She’s always known that you’re the one who gets the gifts.”

Felicity laughed. “Yeah, I know. She sends me thank you cards.”

Oliver nodded slowly. “I think it would buffer the blow of your resignation if I was able to assure my little sister that you and I are dating now.”

Felicity caught herself smiling, the field-of-wildflowers fantasy creeping its way back inside her head. “I suppose that would make Thea happy. Now, if I could just figure out why you chose today to ask me out, when we’ve pretty much been together for the past six years.”  She stopped speaking immediately, her cheeks flaming, as she realized what she’d insinuated. “And by _together_ , I just mean _working_ together, of course, because I would certainly have remembered if we were _together_ together. Not that I’m implying that being together with you is memorable, because that would mean that I know what it’s like to be with you, like _sexually_ , which I don’t, and haven’t imagined at all, of course, because that would be inappropriate, what with you being my boss and everything.”

Felicity’s eyes got wider and wider as she spoke, but she couldn’t seem to stop the word vomit. _Damn it, damn it, damn it!  I don’t babble around Oliver anymore!  I don’t!_

She peered up at him, fully expecting a recriminating glare.  But the look on Oliver’s face wasn’t judgmental or even questioning. If she didn’t know better, she would have said he looked…smitten.

“Fe-li-ci-ty,” he said, his deep voice clinging to each syllable as his gaze drifted from her eyes to her lips and back again.  “Does it really matter why I chose today?  Can we just say that I came out of a fog this morning and started seeing what was right in front of me?  You’re intelligent, charming, and beautiful.”

Her lips parted as she stared into him.  He looked so sincere, so certain.  And she had the overwhelming sensation that she was standing on the winner’s podium, being handed everything she ever wanted on a silver platter, and all she had to do was reach out and take it.  At this moment, all those futile years – the years she’d spent pining over him, and watching him fall again and again into the arms of another woman, and sacrificing pieces of herself in order to be his indispensable servant – didn’t matter. Because Oliver wanted her, and she wanted him.

Felicity tried to hold back the tears of joy that threatened to spill from her eyes while she absorbed his praises.  But nothing could stop the melting sensation in her heart.

“And maybe I should have asked you out long ago,” Oliver continued with a soft shake of his head, “but I just haven’t thought about my personal happiness in so long.  Not until I saw how happy Tommy is…”

The words rang in Felicity’s ears, and suddenly she couldn’t hear anything but the tortured thumping of her own pulse.  “Holy crap,” she breathed.

_Tommy. Tommy and Laurel. That’s why Oliver chose today._

She was not standing on the winner’s podium.  She was not being handed everything she ever wanted.  No, Oliver Queen was just using her.  Yet again.

“Oh Lord, that’s it, isn’t it?” she questioned.  A second later, the tornado of realization hit home and her mouth opened to a fury of words. “It’s Tommy and Laurel! They just got back from their honeymoon today!  I waited until they were back to give you my resignation because I wanted them to help you transition, but _you_ …you waited until they got back to see if they were working out!  You wanted to see if _Tommy_ was happy with _his_ secretary! That’s it, isn’t it? Tommy gets back from his honeymoon all giddy and adorable, and you think, ‘Hey, maybe Felicity would be a passable option for me!  Maybe my dependable, hard-working secretary could become my dependable, hard-working girlfriend!’ And that sounded really wrong and I didn’t mean hard-working in some weird sexual way!  Oh…damn it!  I guess I should just be relieved Tommy and Laurel _are_ getting along; if they’d come back pissed off at each other, you probably would’ve fired me on the spot!”

Felicity sat at the edge of her seat, eyes blazing.  She knew the other restaurant patrons were staring at her, but couldn’t bring herself to care.

Oliver looked genuinely confused. “Felicity, if I’ve offended you somehow…”

“Damn straight you’ve offended me,” she snarled, attempting to lower her voice out of range of the onlookers. “I am not some high school science experiment for you to research, _Mister_ Queen. You cannot test out your boss-and-secretary coexistence theories on me.  I’m worth more than that.”

“Of course you are…that’s not what…”

“Save it,” she said, rising from her seat and grabbing her purse, thankful to the heavens that they drove separately.  “I need to get back to the office.  I’ve got a lot of work to do before I leave.  For good.”

With a final glare over the top rim of her glasses, Felicity stormed off, leaving a thoroughly baffled Oliver Queen in her wake.

 ...

Felicity managed to drive her car several blocks away and pull into an empty parking lot before bursting into tears.  She dialed Caitlin’s number on her cell and slobbered into the phone for several minutes before her friend could determine what had happened. 

“Hold on, Felicity, let me get this straight.  Oliver Queen asked you out on a date and you said _no_?”

“You’re damn right I said no! Didn’t you hear me? He only asked me out because his partner married _his_ secretary! And Oliver and his emotionless robot-brain just thought it would make sense to ask out his own secretary! He wanted to use me as an experiment on love!  Like a frickin’ lab rat! And I started yelling in a restaurant full of people, Cate!”

She could hear Caitlin’s calm breathing across the line. 

“Felicity, honey, do you think, just maybe, that you overreacted a little?”

“ _A_ _little_? Are you kidding me? I overreacted like a circus freak! Like the biggest idiot in the whole entire world!  But that just proves my point!”

“And your point is?”

“He makes me _crazy_!  Crazy, I tell you!  How can he be so insensitive? How can he sit there, like one of his stone columns, and say he wants to date me when he has no real interest in me whatsoever?  How could he pretend I didn’t exist for six years and then expect me to flip a switch and be his puppet-girlfriend just because he decides he’d like to see how that works? How can _anyone_ be so damn cold?”

“But, maybe…”

“I’m tired, Cate. Tired of being the steadfast, indispensable coworker.  I’m tired of just blending into the wallpaper unless I serve some purpose.  Oliver Queen needs to realize he can’t treat people this way. He needs to be taught a lesson.”

“Now, wait, Felicity…before you do anything stupid…”

Stupid? How could she do anything more stupid than what she’d done for the past six years?  All the feelings she’d harbored for that man – all the dreams of her and Oliver Queen, living the perfect life as the blissfully happy couple who make everyone around them gag from their sugary sweetness – and yet all she was to him now, all she’d become, was an experiment.  She was nothing more than a secondary thought to Oliver, because he couldn’t be with Isabel, the person he really wanted.

Felicity already knew what it felt like to be second best; she wouldn’t ever do that again.

Taking in a calming breath, she cleared her throat before reassuring her concerned friend. “I’m not going to do anything stupid, Cate.”

“Are you sure?”

 _Okay, no, I’m not sure._   “Whatever I decide to do will be no more than the man deserves.  Besides, even if it is stupid, I’ve only got four more weeks to work with him.  He can’t fire me when I’ve already quit.  He could shorten my notice, but if that’s the price I have to pay...”

“Felicity, maybe you should come to the store.”

“Why? Is something wrong? Do you need my help?”

“No, no, everything is fine here. I’m thinking _you_ need _my_ help.”

Felicity gripped her phone with blanched knuckles, considering her options.  “No.  This is something I’ve got to do on my own.”

“Please don’t do anything rash.”

She heard her friend’s words and nodded.  “You’re right. I’m too emotional. I’ll give myself the afternoon to think it through.”

“Or longer. Much longer.  And call me back; I’d like to know your plan. Especially since I’ll probably need to talk you out of it.”

“Don’t worry, Cate. I’ll get my head on straight before I make any decisions.” 

 _After all_ , Felicity thought, _revenge is a dish best served cold_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to hear what you think! Up next...Chapter 3: A Shotgun and A Shovel


	3. A Shotgun And A Shovel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there guys! Just wanted to say thanks again for all the support and great comments for this story! There seems to be a pretty even division of opinion between “Poor Oliver” and “Yes, Felicity! Make him pay!” So, I’m hoping I can appease both sides with how Felicity is planning to handle this little revenge plan of hers… Please let me know what you think! And come follow me on Tumblr at TinaDay3W to share Olicity awesomeness ☺

Oliver sat behind his ebony desk, utterly confounded by the day’s events. In a few hours, he’d gone from leaving his door open to losing the best secretary in the world. And she wasn’t just an employee; he considered Felicity a friend.  Maybe she didn’t see it that way…maybe he never made her feel that way…but she was.

His door remained safely closed all afternoon, ever since he’d come back from lunch, passed her empty office, and walked into his.  He wasn’t sure if she’d even come back.  He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t; apparently he’d been a complete ass at the restaurant and hadn’t even realized it.  He’d never seen her that angry before.  Never, ever.  He’d struck one hell of a nerve.

Was it so ludicrous, the thought of dating him?  Enough to send her off the deep end?  Admittedly, when Tommy mentioned it this morning, Oliver’s first reaction was negative.  He and Felicity had an awesome professional relationship; he didn’t want to screw it up. Yet the more he thought about it, the more sense it made.  She was the perfect secretary, so wouldn’t she make the perfect girlfriend?

That, apparently, was where he’d gone wrong.  According to Felicity, he wasn’t supposed to think things through so sensibly. But what was wrong with being practical about love?

Sighing and leaning back in his chair, Oliver stared at the clock on the wall. After six.  Definitely time to go home, although he hadn’t gotten any work done today.  He’d thought all morning about how to ask out his secretary.  He’d thought all afternoon about how to apologize for asking her out. Basically, he’d thought about Felicity all damn day.

“She has a right to be angry with me,” he mumbled.  “And not just for today.” 

After all, he’d used her, absolutely and without question, since the day they’d met. A young college graduate, Felicity was bright and bubbly and ridiculously over-qualified for what he needed at the time. Back then, Arrow Architecture was just getting off the ground and he didn’t have all that much for her to do. But she was so eager; she took on more and more duties – even personal ones.  He let her.  He never said, “I don’t need you to pick out my suits,” or, “It’s not your responsibility to buy birthday gifts for my family.” He should have said no, but Felicity was just so good at everything she did.  She made his life easier, better. 

Now she would probably never speak to him again.  She might even slap him.  If she did, he would take it like a man.  Lord knows he deserved it.

Oliver shook his head, closed his laptop and reached for his car keys. A small knock came at the door. He stopped and stared. “Yes?”

The door opened slowly and she stood there, just as beautiful as ever. She’d let her ponytail down; her freed hair was wild and curly and everywhere.  Her dark blue blouse hugged her breasts and highlighted the paler color of her eyes.  She’d removed her glasses and he frowned for a moment, wondering where they’d gone and if she’d put contacts in and whether or not she could see clearly.  But then his frown transformed to a near-lecherous grin as his eyes fell to her short, snug black skirt, drawing his attention to the curve of her hips and the length of her legs.  Forcing himself to look back up to her face, he noticed that she’d put a new lip gloss on, this one a few shades darker, but no less inviting, than any of the others.

“May I come in?” Felicity asked, pulling him from his reverie of appreciation. Her voice sounded calm and soothing; perhaps she wouldn’t slap him after all.

“Of course, Miss Smoak, I…”

“Wait, Mr. Queen…Oliver. Before you say anything, I want to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Yes. I was way out of line at lunch. I’m sorry.  My only excuse is that my resignation made me overly emotional. Still, I shouldn’t have made such a scene.”

“I…I didn’t expect your apology.  _I_ owe _you_ one.  I shouldn’t have asked you out; that was a professional boundary I shouldn’t have crossed. You could file a sexual harassment complaint if you’d like.”

Oliver watched as a smiled curved her lips.  “No, I don’t think I’ll be filing one of those.  Actually, I hope you’ll consider a different arrangement.”

“Arrangement? What do you mean?”

Felicity waved him toward her.  “Come with me.”

“Where?”

She laughed. “Just come.”       

He stared hard at her for a minute before placing his keys in the pocket of his suit coat and moving around his desk.  Felicity turned and exited down the hallway and he followed along, a puppy on a leash. She strolled past her office, past the employee lounge, out the front door, and down the steps.  Her car was parked curbside.

“I have to grab something,” she said, popping the trunk of her blue VW Bug and rummaging around. Briefly, Oliver wondered if she had a shotgun and a shovel inside.  The fleeting, ridiculous thought made him smile.  After all, this was his sweet little Felicity. 

“Here we go.”  She stood, holding a fluffy green blanket in her arms.

Oliver stepped forward and shut the trunk.  “What is that for?”

“Over here,” she encouraged, nodding her head toward the park. She eased across the empty street and Oliver followed, recalling his odd urge this morning to roll around in the grass. If he didn’t know better, he would swear Felicity had read his mind.

She stepped onto the lush lawn and kept going, past several trees and benches to an even, open area, polka-dotted with dandelions.  Bending over and shaking out the blanket, she spread it on the ground.  Oliver tried not to stare at the reverse-heart shape of her bottom as she bent down in front of him.

He looked up instead, noting the golden glow of the slowly setting sun as it outlined a thousand spring leaves in the surrounding trees.  He’d always loved living in Starling, where he could surround himself with both traditional and modern architecture.  And right this minute, he could surround himself with nature and with her.  He couldn’t recall a better moment in years.

“Come. Sit,” she instructed, easing onto the blanket and kicking off her heels.

Oliver followed but kept his shoes on.  He made sure his suit didn’t touch the grass.

“You look uncomfortable,” Felicity noted, watching as he attempted to curl his large body onto his half of the blanket.

“Sorry. This suit doesn’t give much wiggle room.”

She giggled.  “I’ve never heard you say ‘wiggle room’.”

Felicity got up on her knees and crawled toward him.  Oliver swallowed hard at the sight of her, down on all fours in front of him, and he wondered what the hell was happening right now. And then her hands were on his chest, flattening against his shirt before gliding upward, easing the jacket off his shoulders.  The vanilla-and-flowers scent of her hair lulled him to inactivity and he let her do as she wished. But, as distracted as he was by her ministrations, he still didn’t miss the way her breath hitched as her fingers wandered over his body.

“There,” she said, brushing her hands across his as she finally pulled the jacket off his arms. She stood to set it on a nearby tree branch. “How is your wiggle room now?”

He had to clear his throat to speak.  “Better.”

Felicity settled back down onto the blanket beside him and smiled, looking up into the trees.  “It’s lovely today, isn’t it?”

Oliver watched her glossy lips move as she spoke.  “Beautiful.”

“I thought this would be a good place to talk.”

“Talk?” _I can think of other things I’d much rather do._

She met his gaze.  “Yes, talk. Along with my apology, I wanted to tell you I’ve given a lot of thought to our conversation at lunch today, and I realize your heart was in the right place.”

“Well, I have to say that surprises me after your…reaction.”

She shrugged her slender, shapely shoulders.  “I do get it, Oliver. Tommy is your best friend, and he and Laurel are adorably in love.  I can see how Tommy’s happiness brought to light your unhappiness.  I also understand why you would want to fix that. The problem is that you chose the wrong person to fix it with.”

“I don’t think I chose the wrong person.”

“Oh, but you did.  I’m not the one you want.”

Oliver wasn’t so sure.  Right now, seeing the sun sparkle off her hair and the crinkles across her nose when she squinted, she looked pretty damn perfect.  “So tell me, Felicity, since you have this all figured out, who do I want?”

“Isabel Rochev, of course.”

He coughed.  Hard. “You are absolutely wrong about that.”

Felicity laughed and stretched her legs out across the blanket. She eased down on her elbows and dropped her head back, her gold halo of curls spreading around her and soaking up the sun as if she were lying on a beach.  Oliver tried not to fantasize about her being naked and sandy. He failed.

“I am absolutely right, actually.  Do you remember what my Bachelor’s degree is in?”

“Hmm…I believe your résumé said psychology.”

“Ah, you do remember.  Brownie points.” She awarded him with a wink and an electrifying smile.  “I wish I’d understood the world better, back when I chose my college major; I seriously would have gone into computer sciences.  But my psychology degree did prepare me to ask the universal question.”

“Which is?”

“Do you want fries with that?”

Oliver chuckled, shaking his head.

Felicity grinned.  “Let’s just say my choice of majors did not exactly prepare me to conquer the job market, but it did prepare me for something else.”

“Alright, I’ll bite.  What did it prepare you for?”

“Relationship counseling.”

His brow arched.  “Ah, I see. So you think a few classes made you an expert on love?”

“A few classes and several years of experience with relationships,” she corrected, “and don’t forget the talk shows.”

He couldn’t help laughing at the playful look in her eye.

Felicity sat up, angling toward him, leaning in.  He could smell her hair again, could see the exact shade of her eyes. “So, what do you think?” she asked, exuberant and enticing.

“About what?”

“About me becoming your love coach.”

“ _Love coach_?”

“Alright, that sounds a little stupid.  You can call it something else if you like, but you get my point. You need help and I’m willing to help you.”

He cocked his head to the side as he watched her.  “And just what kind of help do you think I need, exactly?”

“Well, I mean, don’t take this the wrong way, Oliver, but you’re a little, um, _stiff_.  You’re missing the spark – or sparkle, even – that a woman wants from a man.”

Oliver’s chest squeezed as he absorbed the reality of how Felicity saw him.  “What makes you think I don’t sparkle?”

“I’ve been your secretary for six years.  I know you.”

“You know me at work. You don’t know me personally.”

“Don’t I? I spend a ridiculous amount of time with you.  I’ve been to your home. I’ve watched your interactions, with Isabel and with your family.  I actually have a better relationship with your sister than you do.” Felicity sighed. “Look, I’m not saying this to hurt your feelings.  You are an exceptional boss, an intelligent man.  You need a good woman, but you’re not going to get one until you loosen up. I’m sure even Isabel realizes that. She loves you, but she can’t commit because she’s missing something.  I’ll teach you how to give it to her.”

“Felicity, how many times do I have to say this?  I don’t want Isabel.”

“Yes, you do.  You just want her more vibrant and sparkly.  Once you change, she’ll change. Then your hundred-year, on-again-off-again relationship can be permanently on.”  She rested back again on the blanket, letting her eyelids drift closed as she smiled into the sunshine.  “Take a few minutes to think about my proposal, Oliver.  I’d like to help you and I’m not going anywhere. At least, not for four more weeks.”

 _Take a few minutes to think about it?_ He could think about this for a year and still be confused...and more than a little offended. Did she really think he was an utter bore, or was she just retaliating for his blundered attempt at dating her? He’d come across poorly at lunch, and for the last six years apparently, but he wanted to change that now. Why couldn’t she see that?

He glanced at her, sitting just out of his reach, looking more angel than earthly.  He didn’t know what the hell kind of game she intended to play with him, but he was more than curious to find out.  Maybe, if he played along, he could convince her he wasn’t a lackluster, pigheaded curmudgeon who bored women so much that they couldn’t bear to be in a relationship with him. 

“So,” he wondered aloud, “what exactly will this love coaching of yours entail?”

Felicity’s eyelids popped open and she grinned wickedly, as if she’d already won the game.  “Well, basically, it’s me teaching you how to be freer and more exciting.  I’ll need you to do things that are out of your norm, things that don’t necessarily fit into your ordered life.”

“You know, just because I’m a professional, and maybe a little picky, and, okay, sometimes a bit of a germaphobe, doesn’t mean I’m not sparkly.”

She laughed, her eyes glowing with mirth.  “If that’s true, my job will be easy, won’t it?”

“I suppose.  And just for clarification, if I agree to this, what will _my_ job be?”

“That’s simple.  Just do everything I say, no questions asked.”

Oliver immediately shook his head.  He trusted Felicity to run certain parts of his life, but could he hand over complete control? He never handed control over to anyone. Ever.  But here she was, asking him to let go of everything.

Grappling with the decision of whether or not he could play along, Oliver stared at the little sprite lying beside him.  Haloed by the sun and smiling wildly with unfettered joy, Felicity was officially the sexiest creature he’d ever seen.  Why on earth hadn’t he noticed before? 

“Alright, I’ll do it,” he stated, fully aware that he was thinking more with the organ below his belt than with the one inside his skull.  “My life is in your hands.”

Her responding grin nearly blinded him.  Felicity stood, motioning for him to join her.  Oliver rose and took a step forward, taken by the significant height difference between them when she wasn’t wearing her heels.  Felicity reached out to him, and he thought she meant to shake his hand.  But then she grabbed him, hugging him close to her.  Her arms wrapped around his neck as their bodies aligned. 

Felicity arched up on her tiptoes, urging him down to her in order to press her lips to his ear. “I’ve got everything under control,” she whispered.

She pulled away before he had the chance to fully enjoy the feel of her soft curves pressed against him.  She smiled again, glowing and beautiful.  Then she grabbed the blanket and sauntered away.  “See you in the office tomorrow,” she sung over her shoulder.

All he could do was watch her leave.

... 

 **A/N:** Alrighty then…what do you think? Hope you’re enjoying reading this as much as I’m enjoying writing it!  Next up…Chapter 4:  Dances With Robots


	4. Dances With Robots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, lovely people! I just wanted to say how much I’ve appreciated all your support with this story…your wonderful comments are good for the soul! So, here’s a little something I hope you’ll like: Felicity’s plan is heating up, but (spoiler alert) Oliver doesn’t exactly act as expected…because, you know, he’s Oliver Queen :) Hope you enjoy!!

The next day, Felicity acted as normal as possible. She played the role of the perfect secretary, addressing Mr. Queen formally, not letting on that anything had changed. She couldn’t afford a slip-up when her plan had started off so well.

“It’s after five, workaholic,” Laurel called from the hallway. “You heading out soon?”

“Yeah, in a bit. Everyone else gone?”

“All but your shut-in architect. Tommy and I are heading over to Angelo’s for some pizza and baseball on the big screen.  You interested?”

“Thanks, but no. There’s someplace I have to be.”

Laurel took a step into Felicity’s office.  “You got a hot date or something?”

Felicity couldn’t help grinning as she absorbed the eager, expectant look on her friend’s face. “I wish,” she said with a laugh, hoping her nerves didn’t shine through.

Laurel frowned. “Oh, well, a girl can hope. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, of course. Have fun.”

“You too.”

Laurel bounced off and Felicity smiled to herself.  She might not have a hot date tonight, but what she had planned _would_ be fun.  In a diabolical, evil-twin sort of way.  Pulling out her cell phone, she texted her boss:  _Meet me at the park at 6?_  

A harrowing minute passed before Oliver replied:  _Yes_. 

Felicity’s heart fluttered:  part excitement, part guilt.  She tamped down the guilt. This was no time to be delicate. Shutting down her computer and grabbing her bag, she stepped into the hall and glanced at Oliver’s still-closed door before turning the opposite direction, out of the now-quiet building and down the stone steps to her waiting Bug.

Today, the car held more than just her fluffy blanket; she’d packed a little cooler of ice, a bottle of wine, and a picnic basket.  Scooping everything up in her arms, she shut the trunk and crossed the street, finding her way to the same dandelion patch as yesterday. She spotted a few families in the park, throwing balls or lounging on benches, but they were far enough away that she and Oliver would basically be alone here.  Arranging the blanket on the grass, Felicity dialed Caitlin’s number.

“Hey kiddo,” Cate chimed in.  “I was wondering when I’d hear from you.  How’s the dastardly deed coming along?”

“It’s not _that_ dastardly,” she defended, opening the picnic basket and arranging cheese and grapes on a platter.  “And it’s going swimmingly.  He couldn’t have responded better yesterday afternoon if I’d written a script and asked him to read it.  He fell for every word – hook, line and sinker.  Now I just have to reel him in.” 

“You do know he’s not a fish, right?”

Felicity giggled.  “Yeah, I know.”

“So what does today hold for Oliver Queen?”

“Well, I’m starting the process of taking him out of his cocooned comfort zone.  This is the beginning, so I’ll be gentle…just a little dancing.”

“Just dancing?”

“For now. The challenges get worse as the week goes on, of course.”

“But nothing else today?”

Felicity glanced up at the newly green leaves fluttering in the breeze.  “Why do you ask?”

“Because I’ll bet Oliver thinks you’re on a date, and a man on a date wants to get some.”

Felicity choked out a laugh. “No, no.  I already told him I’m doing this to help him get back together with his ex-witch.  Besides, he’s not interested in me.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Yes, I’m _very_ sure.  I spent six years as his office slave and he never even paid me a compliment until yesterday, when I resigned.  Honestly, I wish he were interested in me; it would make this whole plan a heck of a lot easier. As it is, I’m going to have to flirt my ass off just to get him where I want him.  But he _will_ be my manservant, Cate. My _manservant_ , I tell you!  Mu-wah-ha-ha!” Felicity finished with her best maniacal laugh and started giggling.

The phone went silent.

“Caitlin, you still there?”

“Yeah.”

“That was supposed to be funny.”

“I’m worried about you, Felicity.”

“Don’t be.  I’m giving myself five days to do this.  I’ve already quit, so if everything turns out the way I’ve planned and Oliver wants to kill me on Saturday, I just won’t go back.” 

“I’m not worried about your job.”

“Do you think I’ve gone insane?  I haven’t. I’m doing this to increase my self-esteem, because I’m not going to be that man’s puppet anymore. It’s female empowerment, really.”

“Not worried about your mind, either.  Although it’s a little haywire right now.”

“So you’re not worried about my employment or my sanity?  Alright, I’ll bite.  What _are_ you worried about?”

Caitlin sighed into the phone.  “Oh, honey, you know you’re in love with him.”

Felicity stopped breathing.  She hated hearing that out loud.  It was too painful on too many levels.  “I’m fine, Cate. Oliver and I aren’t meant to be. I’ve known that for years.”

Felicity glanced up, catching a glimpse of his dark blue suit as he stepped onto the grass at the far end of the park.  A spark of nerves lit inside her chest and she reached up to press her glasses higher on her nose, only to realize she wasn’t wearing glasses. And her hair was down against her shoulders, all wild and unruly.  And her dress clung to every curve on her body.  And suddenly her mouth was completely dry.

“Just because you know it in your head doesn’t mean your heart will listen,” Cate’s voice resounded in her ears.  “You’ve held Oliver Queen up as the standard to every man you’ve ever dated, yet now you think you’re going to use him and walk away unscathed?”

Felicity watched her boss approach and reigned in her fear as quickly as it had come. “I love you, Cate; I have since the day I met you our freshman year.  But you’re a worrywart and you’re going to spoil the best fun I’ve had in years. He’s coming; I’ve got to go.”

“Don’t kiss him, Felicity.”

Oliver stopped a few feet from the edge of the blanket, his blue eyes intent on hers.

“Yeah, you have fun too, Cate.  See you this weekend,” Felicity sang into the receiver.

“I mean it.  No kissing.”

Felicity smashed the off button on her phone and shoved the device into her purse before peering up at her prey.  “Sorry, just talking to a friend.”

“No problem.”  Oliver glanced at the miniature party on the ground.  “What’s all this?”

“Impromptu picnic.  Kick off your shoes and coat and come join me.”

Felicity watched Oliver’s deep blue eyes focus on her bare feet before drifting up her legs and onto her sleek little red dress.  Red like a sinner. Or at least like a Sinister Secretary. Harnessing every ounce of confidence she possessed, she pressed her arms closer together to enhance the cleavage in the low-V neckline.  She smiled up at him. “Come on, shoes off.”

He didn’t look away from her as he kicked his Italian loafers toward a nearby oak and eased off his jacket.  Felicity moistened her lips while he laid the coat on a branch.  Her eyes latched to the sight of his biceps as they shifted beneath his crisp shirt. 

 _Cate is such a spoilsport!_   _Look at the man! Would a little kissing be so bad_?

“So, what do you have planned for us today?” Oliver questioned as he curled his large body onto the blanket beside her. 

Felicity cleared her throat and her thoughts.  “First I thought a snack and a drink; I must admit, I just love red wine,” she said, handing him the bottle.

Oliver nodded as he popped the cork and poured the rich burgundy liquid into the two glasses she’d produced from her picnic basket.  “Cheers.” 

“Cheers,” Felicity echoed, clinking her glass with his before tipping her head back and downing the entirety of the contents in one long, continuous gulp.

He looked mortified.  “Wow. That’s…wow.”

She smiled.  “What?”

“I’ve never seen anyone drink like that.  Did you taste it?”

“Sure I did.  That’s just an old college trick: see who can drink the most, the fastest.”

“You are an expert.”

“I can drink a football player twice my size under the table, thank you. Not that I participate in those things anymore.”

“I guess that’s good.”

Felicity laughed and set her glass back in the basket.  She eased down onto her side, propping up on one elbow and resting her head in her hand, as Oliver sipped.  “I take it Isabel never did those things in college?”

“Um, no.”  He shook his head. “Isabel wouldn’t do that.”

“Are you disappointed in me?”

“Quite the contrary.”

“Wow, was that another compliment?”

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Yesterday at lunch you called me bright and pretty; now you approve of my parlor trick. You’d better watch out or my head will swell.”

Oliver finished his wine and set the glass down beside hers. “Is that my love coach’s way of telling me I’m too sparse with my compliments?”

She caught his eyes as he turned back to her.  “Maybe.”

Oliver reached for the platter she’d laid out and pulled a grape from its stem. “Intelligent, charming, and beautiful,” he said, reaching forward to place the grape against her lips. “That is what I said to you yesterday at the restaurant.”

Felicity opened her mouth to allow him to push the fruit inside and his thumb brushed against her bottom lip, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. She chewed slowly and swallowed hard. “You sure do remember the details, don’t you?”

The corner of his mouth curved up.  “My life is all about details.  I just happen to know which ones are important to me and which ones I can let someone else deal with.  And no, I don’t give out compliments easily.  When I do, I’m sincere.”

Felicity tried to decide if those words made up for six years of following him around like a dog waiting to be thrown a bone.  They didn’t.  “Well, that’s not good enough.”

“It’s not?” He stretched out beside her, mimicking her pose so they lay face to face, his long legs reaching off the blanket and onto the grass. “Should I lie to people?”

“I’m not saying you lie, but you can pleasantly overemphasize from time to time.”

He pulled another grape from the plate and brought it to her mouth, running it slowly across her lips before allowing her to eat it.  “Pleasantly overemphasize?”

Felicity had to remind herself what their conversation was about. The obscenity of the situation wreaked havoc on her brain:  Oliver’s body so blissfully close, his fingers feeding her, his words praising her, his lips smiling at her.  If she didn’t know better, she would think he wanted her.  But of course she knew better.  “Let’s talk about Isabel,” she reminded herself.

“Must we?”

“Yes, we must.  She is the reason we’re transforming you, after all.  Now, what would you compliment her about, if she were here?”

He scrunched up his face, looked confounded for several moments, and then shook his head. “I got nothing.”

Felicity laughed.  “Oh, come on! You’ve been together _forever_ ; there must be some reason.  What was she like when you first met?”

“Bossy.”

“Hmm, okay.  That’s a start. Change _bossy_ into _self-assured_ and you’ve got something there.  This is good. What else?”

“Well, when we fight, she throws things.”

“Ooh-kay. That one’s a little tougher. But, when that happens, you could say, ‘Wow, you’re such a strong woman,’ or, ‘Honey, you have the attitude of a real champion’.”

Oliver’s brow cocked as he stared at her.  “Do you really want me to get back together with Isabel so that when she’s jumping around like a monkey and throwing china at me, I can tell her she has the attitude of a champion?  And you think this will make me sparkly?”

Felicity tried to look serious and failed.  She broke into hysterical laughter, so hard she snorted a little. “I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to laugh,” she managed to say through her giggles.

“Yes you did.”  He reached out, pushing several gold curls of hair over her shoulder and running his hand slowly down her arm before letting it fall away. 

Felicity stopped giggling.

“I have an idea,” he said, looking into her eyes as he spoke.  “What if I practice my complimenting skills on you?”

“On me?”

“Yeah. I’ll just say whatever comes to mind and you can grade me.  Sound good?”

Oh, he’d fallen into her web so nicely.  “Alright, you can try.  But I must warn you: your love coach is a harsh judge.”

“Then I’ll have to do my very best.”

“Good luck,” she offered, forcing an indifferent smile. Inside, her nerves built. She’d waited for a Queen Compliment for so long, she wasn’t sure if she could handle the fallout.

Oliver cleared his throat and Felicity held her breath.  His eyes moved across her face, lingered on her lips, eased down to her hands. He became quiet, so much so that the cute, twittering birds in the trees began to annoy the mess out of her. _What on earth is taking so long?  Is it that hard for him to drum up something he likes about me?_

She stilled as his hand moved to hers, easing across her knuckles and tracing the smooth lines of her fingers. “I’ve watched these dainty, skilled hands do so many things over the past six years,” he reflected, his voice so low she had to lean in to hear, “but I’ve never been able to touch them like this. And I’ve listened to your laugh a million times, but it never sounded more alive or contagious than it does now, when you’re laughing just for me.”  His eyes returned to hers, darker than they’d been a moment ago.  “And your hair…damn, I love your hair,” he continued, his fingers leaving her hand to push into the curls.  “I love it in the ponytail; I love it down.  You toss it around when you’re happy, or when you want me to know how mad you are.  It’s even softer than I thought it would be, now that I get to feel it, but it smells the same: like a field of flowers.”  His eyes dropped to her mouth.  “But I don’t smell vanilla right now.  I’ve always thought your hair smelled like flowers and vanilla, but now I realize the vanilla must be your lip gloss.”  His hand moved again, this time to brush a thumb across her lower lip.  “You wear a different shade every day.  I see it glimmer in the office lights and it’s so damn sexy. Like you.” 

He stopped talking and stared at her mouth.

Felicity was incapable of making her jaw close.  _Oh, frack.  I was wrong.  He does want me. Almost as much as I want him. Cate’s right; this is a mistake. A monstrous, hairy, steamy mistake._

Oliver traced the side of her face.  “Well, love coach, how’d I do?”

She sat up swiftly, clamping the door shut on her traitorous heart.  “Yeah…that sucked.  I can tell you gave it your all, but I’m sorry to say you just can’t do compliments. Hopeless, really. We’ll have to move on.”

He sat up to face her. “Seriously?”

Felicity forced a laugh and stood from the blanket, disconnecting.  She couldn’t listen to his enticing words and keep on track.  “We have a regimented schedule to follow, Oliver.”

He peered up at her. “You certainly take love coaching seriously.”

“Well, you deserve the best.” She held out her hand. “Let’s move on to dancing.”

“I don’t dance.”

“Yeah, I figured as much. But you need to. Women love a man who can dance.”

He grasped her fingers and stood. Felicity leaned down to hit the music button on her phone.  One of her favorite electronic dance songs, loud and funky, filled the air.  She smiled and stepped back.  “Alright, have at it,” she instructed with a giddy smile.

His brow arched. “Dance _alone_?”

“Yes. How am I going to evaluate you appropriately if I can’t watch?”

Oliver reached out, snaked his arm around her waist, and pulled her against him.  One large hand spread out on her back, the other took her fingers in his and held them to his chest.  “I think you can evaluate me better this way,” he suggested, beginning a slow, rhythmic swaying movement.

Her breath caught in her throat as she relished the feel of his strong, hard body pressed into her soft curves. Her hips moved with his, entirely against her will.  Felicity knew she should fight it, but couldn’t muster the energy.  Oliver felt warm and strong and smelled like exotic spices wafting over the ocean on a clear, starry night.  Or maybe she was losing her mind. 

Felicity stared at her hand, resting on his chest; she eased her other hand up the back of his neck and into his hair.  She sighed way too loud. Oliver grinned, slowly and devilishly, before he pushed her away, twirled her in a circle, and then reeled her back, clamping her to him once again.  Then he dipped her low to the ground, her hair nearly touching the grass, before bringing her back up in that deliberate, agonizingly sexy way she’d only seen in movies. Face to face again, Oliver stared into her eyes and Felicity’s footing faltered, but he had it under control. She didn’t miss a step.

_Damn it.  He dances, too. He’s gorgeous, successful, brilliant, and gives the best compliments ever.  Now he’s awesome and romantic on the dance floor.  Or at least in a patch of dandelions.  It’s just not fair!_

Felicity calmed her inner monologue. “I thought you said you couldn’t dance.”

“No, I said I _don’t_ dance, not that I couldn’t.  My mother put me in lessons when I was twelve. Not a place a young boy wants to be, believe me.  Now I only dance when forced. Or when gorgeous secretaries ask me to.”

“Do secretaries ask you to dance often?”

“Oh, all the time. It’s quite odd, really.”

He laughed and spun her around again and Felicity’s world twisted.  He wasn’t doing anything the way she’d planned.  She thought dancing would provide at least a little humiliation, but now he’d become the Fred Astaire Architect.  He wasn’t playing nice at all. 

As he twirled her back into his arms, she forcibly stepped away, nearly toppling them both over.

“Whoa...you okay?” he asked, reaching out to steady her.

“I’m fine. Just a little dizzy,” she fibbed, trying like hell to ignore the electric spark that surged between his fingertips and her skin as he held onto her arms.  “Besides, I have something else for you to do.”

“I’m all ears.”

Felicity regained her footing and backed away from his touch.  “Well, your slow dancing is fine…”

“Just fine?”

She shrugged. “It’ll do, but it’s not in tune to the music.”

The corners of his mouth pulled into a rakish grin.  “There’s music?”

She almost wagged her finger at him. How dare he be so charming! “Yes, there’s music! And only one dance that goes with it.”

“Alright. Which one?”

“The Robot, of course.”

The look on his face was worth everything. 

“You’re telling me women like men who do The Robot?”

“Oh, yeah. It’s female catnip.”

“Female catnip. Really.”

Felicity folded her arms across her chest.  “I’m waiting.”

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, staring her down for long moments.

And then he did it. Not that he didn’t throw his arms up beforehand, or roll his eyes at her as he started, but he actually did it. Felicity wasn’t sure he would...but here he was, arms at right angles, knees locked, head cocking this way and that, perfectly in tune to her frivolous music.  Her boss, the most stoic man on the planet, the one who saw everything in practical terms – including love – was doing The Robot in a patch of dandelions in the middle of a public park.  She’d never seen anything funnier in her entire life.

Felicity started laughing. Uproariously.  Uncontrollably.  Until she begged him to stop because her stomach hurt so bad that she held it with both hands.

Oliver ceased his mechanical gyrations and moved toward her, smiling as she giggled. He drew his fingers down her cheek. “You’re so beautiful when you laugh.”

Felicity stilled as his bright blue eyes focused in on hers. 

Oliver stepped closer, fingers winding into her hair.  “Am I sparkly yet, Felicity?”

 _Damn sparkly.  Blinding, even_. “Maybe.  A little.”

He massaged the nape of her neck with wicked skill.  “You admit it?”

“Well, robots are generally made of metal, so that’s kind of sparkly, I suppose.  Let’s just say you have an exceptional teacher.”

His eyelids fell as he focused on her lips.  “Mmm, yes. Exceptional.” 

Felicity ached. She wanted him to kiss her. She _needed_ it.  Just one. One couldn’t hurt, right? But there had to be rules; otherwise she was screwed for sure.  And not in a good way.

She watched in awed wonder as Oliver’s mouth came closer, his breath warm against her lips as he leaned in. Her hand almost didn’t reach his chest in time, but she managed to push away.  Oliver stopped.  He looked into her eyes, searching for an explanation.

Felicity pulled back before she lost the ability.  “You’re right, Oliver, of course.”

“About what?”

“About kissing. We need to practice, to make sure you’re doing it right.”

His eyebrow arched. “Doing it right?”

“Of course. Kissing is an important part of romance. Isabel will appreciate it.”

“Isabel.”

“Yes, Isabel. This is all for her, remember?” Felicity turned away before he could respond, reaching to the ground for her purse.  “Now, since you seem to be fond of lip gloss, let me get some.”

“Felicity...”

The low tone of his voice heralded an impending speech – one she needed to avoid.  "Just give me one second, Oliver."  She shut off the music on her phone and then rummaged through her bag for a little tube.  “Ah, here’s one. Vanilla, no less. Let me put some on to make this interesting for you.”  She dabbed the shimmering liquid on her lips.

Oliver watched every movement. “Do you actually think I need you to wear lip gloss for this to be interesting?”

“Well, it couldn’t hurt.” She leaned down to drop the tube back in her purse before straightening to stand in front of him.  She looked into his eyes.  “I mean, it’s not like you’ve ever wanted to kiss me in the past six years, so you could probably use some encouragem…”

“Oh, Felicity.” He cut off her words by grabbing her face with both of his hands and pressing his mouth to hers.

The movement was quick, but the pressure of his lips was slow and warm and perfect. Felicity grasped onto his forearms, needing the support.  They stood still as they kissed, yet she swore Oliver spun her, turning them both together. She could do nothing but hold on.

At that moment, Felicity questioned all her assumptions.  Was it true that Oliver never wanted to kiss her before now?  Because that wasn’t what this felt like.  No, this was surreal and yet natural, like something that had been years in the making, and when his lips eventually eased away from hers, just slightly, Felicity gasped for air.

He hovered there, his mouth just a hair’s width away, holding her steady as their breaths mingled for a long minute.  Her mind swam in a deep, contented haze.  And then Felicity felt one of his hands move from her cheek to push into her hair, his fingers threading into her curls.  His other hand drifted down her body and around her back, banding her to him.

“Hmm…the vanilla does taste good,” he murmured against her, “but you taste better.” Her lips parted in surprise at the words.  And this time, when he kissed her, his mouth came down hard. 

Felicity had thought about being in this situation with Oliver Queen more times than was probably legal in the city of Starling, so there was a part of her brain that couldn’t accept what was happening.  She’d always wanted her boss to take her in a fit of passion, but he’d been so reserved around her through the years that she never thought he could actually be that commanding. It seems she’d be wrong. About so many things.

Oliver knew exactly what he was doing.  He was powerful and insistent and overwhelming and she had to grip his shoulders to maintain balance as his mouth moved faultlessly against hers.  He pulled her even closer, supporting her as she trembled, as his tongue traced her lips before easing smoothly into her mouth.  And that’s when Felicity finally snapped out of shock and became a full participant. 

Her hands gripped into his hair as she clamped on, opening up to him and returning the kiss with everything in her arsenal.  Oliver’s strong, solid body felt huge against her, engulfing her much smaller form within his tight embrace.  His mouth was warm and soft and wet, the heady sensation of his skilled tongue wrapped in hers causing a breathy, desperate moan to escape her lips. 

Felicity’s head swam with the dream that Oliver Queen _did_ want her – and that he’d wanted her for much longer than either of them had imagined. She completely forgot where she was, and what she was supposed to be doing, and allowed herself to simply revel in that sensation.  Until Oliver’s hand slipped down to her low back, dangerously close to the tightly outlined curves of her ass. He used this new leverage to pull her up harder against him, their hips coming flush with each other, as his tongue continued its torturous, intricate war with hers. 

A breathy mewl escaped her lips and Oliver groaned in response.  That was when Felicity realized exactly what was happening right now. And, darn it all to heck, she _had_ to stop it.

Using every ounce of willpower she’d ever possessed in her entire life, Felicity wrenched herself away and put as much distance between them as her wobbly legs would allow.  She mumbled a filthy curse word.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.  They only worked to breathe.  Then Felicity chanted a longer, livelier string of curses.

Oliver cleared his throat. “What did you say?”

She stared at his chest. “Oh, just, um, yeah...that was...okay. A good start.”

He stepped forward, one long stride closing the distance she’d put between them.  “Maybe I need more practice.”

“Nope,” she insisted, holding up her hand.  “We’ve got to put some limits on that.”

“Why?”

Felicity looked up into his eyes.  It was a serious mistake. All her Oliver-the-vampire fantasies looked silly compared to the hunger staring back at her. Felicity took a deep breath and pulled herself together, even if the mousy voice betrayed her. “B-because we don’t want to forget that we’re doing this for Isabel.  I’m y-your teacher.  I have to stay professional.”

At the mention of his ex’s name, Oliver turned away, raking a hand through his hair and staring at a tree. A lifetime passed before his gaze returned, as intense as ever.  “I’ll play this however you like, Felicity.”

Nervous laughter bubbled from her throat.  “ _Play_?  Who’s playing? This is serious work and we have to get to it.  Speaking of which, what are you doing for the rest of the week?”

He shook his head slowly.  “As I told you yesterday, my life is in your hands.”

“Um, well, good.  That’s the right answer. So, we’ll be going out every day after work.”

“And what will we be doing?”

“Let’s see…”  She pretended to think as she turned away from him, busying herself with repacking the picnic basket. “Club dancing tomorrow, then a karaoke bar Thursday, bowling on Friday, and Saturday…”

Felicity’s fingers fumbled with the wine glasses.  Saturday this would all end.  Badly. She hushed the voice of regret that screamed inside her head.

He took the picnic basket from her full hands.  “What’s on Saturday?”

“Let’s just call that a secret,” she quipped, bending over to grab the blanket. Her tight red dress pulled across her hips, giving little room to move.

“Are you trying to pique my curiosity, Miss Smoak?”

Felicity heard a distinct rasp in his voice and her breath hitched. _Is he doing what I think he’s doing?_   From her bent position, she glanced over her shoulder. _Yup, he’s staring at my ass_.  Felicity’s pulse skipped as she gathered the fluffy green fabric and stood. His eyes met hers again, now a darker, deeper blue.  _I am in so much trouble_.  “So, that’s it for today, then.  Lesson completed.”

“I’ll walk you to your car.”

“’Kay.”

Felicity felt like a toddler, gripping her blanket for dear life, as she trotted beside him.  Just the movement of his shoulders beneath his shirt was enough to make her palms sweat. When they finally stepped out of the park, her fingers shook as she pushed the button on her key. She tried like hell to hide inside the car while he repacked the trunk, but she couldn’t get the damn door handle to work.

“Here,” his voice came from behind, his body too close, his breath warm against her cheek.  “Let me get that for you.”

His arm reached around her waist to cover her hand and Felicity glanced up. 

Oliver stared at her mouth. “I don’t suppose you’d consider another kiss, to ensure that I’m doing it right?”

She shook her head.  “No. _No_. That’s not a good idea. I think one kiss per day is plenty, and we’ve already covered that ground, so…tomorrow.”

He opened her door.  “Tomorrow,” he promised.

Felicity fell inside and started the car, unable to get away fast enough. 

When his ridiculously delicious body was just a speck in her rearview mirror, she pulled onto a side street and parked her car.  She fumbled with her cell, waiting impatiently for her best friend’s voice to say, “Hey, Felicity, how’d it go?”

“Holy crap, Cate! That man is…well, he’s liquid testosterone! That’s what he is! I can’t see straight when I’m around him!”

“You kissed him, didn’t you?”

“That’s beside the point.”

“You never listen to me.”

“Also beside the point.  I am having a meltdown, here!”

Cate sighed.  “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t you stop this little plan and just date him?”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It is easy.”

“No, its not!  I just have to recoup. I need to be stronger. Stoic-er, or something.”

“Felicity, listen to me.  I know you’ve been hurt, but Oliver isn’t Cooper.”

“That’s…that’s not what this is about.  This is female empowerment.  Period.”

“Damn, you’re stubborn.”

“And that’s why you love me.”

“No, not really.”

Felicity laughed, her thoughts running wild.  Cate could complain all day, but Felicity knew if she wanted Oliver Queen, manservant extraordinaire, at her disposal, then she needed to do one thing.  

Up.  Her.  Game.

 

A/N:  So, what do you think?  I would love to know!!  Up next…Chapter 5: Polyester Never Looked So Good


	5. Polyester Never Looked So Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for all the lovely comments! I really hope I can brighten your day a bit with this little fic! Let's see how Oliver's doing under Felicity's ministrations, shall we? :)

Friday came a lot sooner than Oliver expected.  He sat at his desk, eyeing the clock on his computer, waiting for it to say 5:30 so he could see her again.  _Felicity_.  What he’d suspected on Monday was a certainty today:  she matched him in every way.  Even while doing her best to drive him insane.

Tuesday was difficult, when she made him do The Robot in the park, although he disliked it even more Wednesday night when she required him to perform in a club full of people. And then the karaoke bar on Thursday – he could have gone his whole life without enduring that anguish. And today she planned to make him bowl. In public shoes, no less.

Still, the worst of her sublime little tortures was the one-kiss rule.  Now that he’d made up his mind about her, he didn’t see the point in playing coy. Yes, he loved everything she’d allowed him this week – holding her hand, wrapping his arm around her shoulders whenever he wanted, pulling her close for a hug at the end of each night – but the fact remained that one kiss per day wasn’t nearly enough to quench the thirst he’d built for her.

But what did Felicity want? What exactly did her _love coach_ game entail?  Maybe she wanted to make sure he truly desired her after six years of being stone-faced. He’d tried to reassure her; in the past three days, he’d turned on every ounce of charm at his disposal. But, apparently, he would have to try harder.  She was worth every effort. Felicity may have started this game, but Oliver intended to win. 

A knock at the door made him jump. “Come in,” he said, eager to see the glasses and ponytail and smile that would light all the dark corners of his office.

“Hey buddy,” Tommy replied as he entered.

Oliver tried not to look too disappointed. “Tommy.  How are you?”

“Um, good. I guess.”

“Something wrong?”

Tommy took a few steps into the room, a look of concern on his face.  “Look, I’ve got something to tell you, but first I want to say how awesome the plans for the hospital wing are looking. You’ve been on fire all week.”

Oliver fell silent. He’d never felt more creative, more driven, than during these days of Felicity’s blissful torture. “I’ve just been in a zone, I guess.”

“Yeah, well, you being in a zone is damn good for business, so I really don’t want to tell you this, because I think your zone might be gone for good.”

Oliver straightened in his chair.  “Now I’m worried. Just tell me.”

Tommy sighed. “Felicity is quitting.”

Oliver stared. Hearing Tommy say the words made it sound so permanent. “How did you find out?”

“Felicity told the whole office.  Well, she told Laurel, which is the same thing.  Felicity told Laurel, Laurel told Lyla in Engineering, Lyla told Diggle in Accounting…I’d say it took all of two minutes for everyone to know.”

“Then everyone knows.”

“Yeah. And I’m guessing you already knew?”

Oliver nodded.

Tommy stepped closer. “How’re you doing? You alright?”

“I – I suppose I’ll have to be.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Felicity’s voice came from the doorway.  “I keep walking in on you two.  I’ll come back later.”

“No,” Oliver insisted, unable to mask the instant sense of joy and relief and need that filled his chest at the sight of her.  “Stay please, Felicity.”

Tommy’s eyes darted between them.

Oliver straightened in his chair.  “We, um, we have some things to discuss, Miss Smoak.”

Felicity stiffened her spine. “Only if you’re finished speaking. Mr. Merlyn?”

Tommy observed Oliver for a moment before turning back to her.  “Yeah, I think we’re good,” he replied, stepping out of the room.  Tommy glanced back once, his eyebrows furrowed, as he cleared the long hallway leading to his office.

When Tommy was out of sight, Felicity eased inside and closed the door.  She turned to Oliver and smiled.  “Hey.”

“Hey. I hear you spilled the news today.”

“Yeah.” She shrugged as she moved toward him. Only then did Oliver notice she carried a box in her hand.  “I figured I needed to let Laurel know, so she could get used to the idea.  I imagine Tommy will have his hands full tonight.”

“Probably. She’ll miss you.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“I’ll miss you, too.”

Felicity stopped just short of his desk.  Her blue eyes fastened on his.  “I’m sorry.”

Oliver tried not to look too disappointed in the knowledge that she wasn’t going to stay, no matter what he said. 

“Here,” Felicity offered, handing him the box.  “Maybe this will make you happy.”

 _Only if the box contains an I’m-going-to-be-in-this-office-for-twenty-more-years letter,_ he thought.  _Although currently, I’d settle for her rescinding the one-kiss rule._  

Oliver took the gift, yanking the lid off and peering inside.  “Wow,” he remarked, pulling out a brown-on-brown short-sleeved polyester bowling shirt with his name embroidered on the pocket.  “Felicity, this is the ugliest shirt I’ve ever seen.”

She laughed as she pressed her glasses up higher on the bridge of her nose.  Then she hiked up her formfitting skirt in order to sit on his desktop.  “Oh, come on! Dig out your sense of adventure! We will be submersing ourselves deep into bowling culture tonight.  You need to look the part or the natives will sense your fear instantly.”

Lord, she looked gorgeous sitting on the surface of his desk as if she owned it.  Oliver tried not to notice how far her legs went up. “Funny, I thought we were just throwing some heavy balls as straight as possible.”

“Eh,” she shrugged, “it’s all about perspective.”

She laughed again, tossing the end of her ponytail over her shoulder.  Then she shifted her legs and the skirt pushed up higher, to the top her thighs. Oliver stood from his chair without conscious thought, drawn by some bizarre magnetic force.  He stepped toward her, his movements overly eager, and Felicity’s eyes widened for a moment.  But then she settled, her shoulders relaxing, as she smiled softly and parted her knees so he could move in closer.  Breathy wisps of air left her chest when his body came flush with the desk.

The floral scent of her hair drifted into his mind and Oliver couldn’t control himself; he reached his hands to her hips, dragging her perfect ass across the desktop to draw her even closer to him.  He didn’t stop pulling until her inner thighs cradled his hips.  Damn, he loved the feeling of being between her legs for the first time. Possessed by the overwhelming urge to kiss her, he leaned down to align his mouth with hers.

“You want your one kiss now?” Felicity whispered against his lips.  “It’s fine with me if you do, but then there’s nothing to look forward to later, is there?”

 _Actually, that is wildly untrue_.  There was plenty to look forward to.  Like every moment she laughed, or bounced around with giddy fervor, or looked into his eyes and just smiled.  But she was right; the anticipation was exquisite pain. 

He sighed and dropped his head onto her shoulder.  His fingers curled into the flesh across her hipbones as he struggled to convince himself that it wasn’t really a good idea to take her here and now, on his desktop, behind an unlocked door, at his place of work.  Unfortunately, right at the moment, he couldn’t quite manage to comprehend why that would be so bad. 

Still, he did convince himself to stop for the time being and not use up his one kiss, or anything more. And so he settled for relishing the warmth of her body, and feeling her soft hands smooth across his back, as he regained his composure.  Eventually, he straightened up to stand before her. 

“I guess we should go now,” she offered, her sweet smile brimming with innocence.

“I guess so.”

Oliver backed away slowly and regretfully, watching as she jumped down off his desk, straightened her skirt, and sauntered out of his office, hips swaying seductively beneath the tight fabric. He grabbed his ugly-as-hell shirt and ran after her, intent on doing whatever she said. 

 ...

They stepped out of the bowling alley several hours later, into a cool, moonless night. “Ugh,” Felicity complained, linking her arm in his, “I can’t believe you’re good at bowling, too.”

Oliver grinned as he led her around the building to the parking lot where her Bug sat beside his Mercedes. “It’s not that difficult, Felicity. You just aim for the middle.”

She stopped in the little space between their car doors and turned to him.  He was instantly enraptured by the way her light blue eyes looked green when mixed with the yellow glow of the nearby street lamp.

“You make it sound so easy. Just like everything you do.”

Oliver pulled her onto him. “Are you saying I’m good at everything?”

“Well, _everything_ is a strong word.”  She licked her lips, refreshing the shimmer of her gloss, as he flattened his hands on the small of her back and edged her closer in.

“Tell me what I’m good at.”

A playful smile curled the corners of her mouth.  “Hmm,” she considered, “now that I think about it, its just bowling.  Oh, and architecture.”

“That’s it, huh?”

Her hand reached to his chest, her fingertip tracing the cursive _Oliver_ embroidered on the brown fabric.  “Although I must say, if architecture doesn’t work out, you could model bowling shirts. Admit it, you love this little fashion statement, don’t you?” 

“Sure. It’s like mud and dirt started throwing excrement at each other and this shirt got caught in the middle.”   

“Oh, come on, it’s not that bad.  And it goes perfectly with the shoes.”

“Yeah, about that – whatever else you have planned for me, _please_ don’t make me wear bowling shoes again.”

“They’re quite sanitary; they spray disinfectant in them at least once a day, I’m sure.”

Oliver groaned and shuddered.

Felicity giggled, draping her arms over his shoulders.  Her eyes sparkled as she eased up on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to his. She kissed him slowly, her tongue tentative, her lips soft and slippery.  Then she pulled away and settled back on her heels.

Oliver didn’t let her go far. “Hmm…what flavor is your gloss today?”

“Do you like it?”

“As much as Tuesday, better than Wednesday, not as much as yesterday.”

“You and your attention to detail.  It’s grape soda.”

“Grape soda and Felicity. I can definitely get used to that,” he said, knowing his words gave a veiled suggestion of a future between them. He looked to her, assessing her response.

She smiled, but it wasn’t as giddy as it had been throughout the night, and Oliver thought he saw a flicker of remorse in her eyes.  “I can’t believe tomorrow is Saturday already,” she mumbled as her gaze drifted down.

“What’s so special about Saturday?”

Her lips pulled into a frown as she reached into her purse.  “I have something for you.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

Felicity pulled out a small, folded piece of paper.  Oliver took it in one hand, keeping her body close with his other arm. He opened the paper and read. “It’s an address.”

“I want you to meet me there tomorrow.  Noon, okay?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.  Do I get to know my destination or is it still a secret?”

“A secret.”

“How should I dress?”

“Very, very casual,” she instructed, looking up to his face and running her fingers over the stubble on his jaw before dropping her arms back down.  With a sigh, she started to pull away, but Oliver held on.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, pushing the paper into his shirt pocket before returning both hands to her waist.

“Home.”

“But I haven’t gotten my kiss yet.”

Her eyebrow arched. “Is your memory faulty? We kissed a minute ago.”

“No. _You_ kissed _me_.”

“That’s still a kiss.”

He stepped her backward, pinning her against his car door, and leaned down.  “You wouldn’t deny me _my_ kiss, would you?  That would be going against the rules.”

“I make the rules.”

“Believe me, I know.”

Oliver pressed his lips to hers, eager for the taste, the heat of her tongue.  Part of him expected her to pull away, maybe even slap him across the face and storm off for taking liberties with her rules. He hesitated, not knowing what she might do.

But then her hands reached into his hair, her fingers curling into the nape of his neck. Her face tilted up, her firm, perfect breasts pushing against his chest.  Her tongue eased out, gently at first and then more purposefully as she pulled him down to her. 

Oliver breathed in deeply, the mixture of wildflower hair and grape lips driving him insane. He wanted to relish the scents, to cherish the feel of her in his arms, but then Felicity hitched a leg up around him like a mountain climber and he had to wrap one arm tighter around her as he slammed his other hand against the car door to keep them from tumbling sideways.

Felicity paid no attention to his struggles, her mouth opening wider to his exploring tongue, her sweet whimpers making him wish like hell that his car was actually a Transformer that could convert into a gigantic bed.  Did that one even exist?  If not, it should.

When he’d regained his balance, Oliver reached down to smooth one hand across her flawless ass, savoring the sound of her responding moan.  Wanting more and more, he pushed his thigh between her knees, hitching her up higher on the side of his car so their bodies could meld together perfectly. Her breath caught in surprise with the movement, her feet no longer touching the ground, but it didn’t slow down the fervor of her tongue.

He continued kissing her, even as his hand left her ass to wander across her hip and then up higher and higher, until he could trace the outer curve of her breast.  Felicity sighed into his mouth at the contact, her fingers curling into his hair.  She rocked against him, grinding her bottom down on his thigh, causing his rapidly hardening erection to twitch into the softness of her belly.  With that sensation she gasped and he groaned, unable to muster up any shame for his actions or the level of his desire. God, he just wanted her, and he wanted her now.

Long moments later, in the haze of her body wrapped around his, in the smooth wetness of her mouth and soft tickling of her hair, Oliver realized vaguely that she was trying to pull away. Subtle, gentle, but definite. _Damn it._   He didn’t want to stop.

Using all of his energy, he forced himself to pull back from her lips and rest his forehead against hers. He thought to ask why they couldn’t just keep going, but then realized she wouldn’t be able to answer because she could barely catch her breath.  He smiled.

“Fe-li-ci-ty,” he breathed, wondering how to ask her to come home with him without offending her. Splaying her out on his bed would go against her one-kiss policy, but since they’d already destroyed that rule tonight…

“Um, uh, Oliver, I n-need to go.”

Exhaling hard, he gritted his teeth together.  “Alright.” He released her slowly, allowing her feet to touch the ground again.

Felicity tried to straighten out her clothes and hair but it didn’t work; her pink cheeks and pouted lips betrayed their actions and made her look sexy as hell.

Oliver worked his fingers and thumb together furiously in order to avoid touching her again. And again.  “So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow.” She nodded but didn’t look him in the eye.  Instead she ducked under his arm and stepped to her car, opening the door and easing inside without glancing back. 

“Drive safe, Felicity.”

She peered up from her seat, a distinct sadness in her eyes.  “Thanks.”

Oliver stood, utterly confused, and watched her drive away.  Why was she sad?  And why couldn’t he control himself around her?  For the last four days, he’d wanted nothing but Felicity.  This didn’t make sense.  He didn’t obsess over women.  Hell, Isabel had come in and out of his life for years, a whirlwind in her own right, but he’d never _ached_ for her. Not like this. Nothing had ever been like this.

Which made him wonder…what, exactly, did he feel for his secretary? 

And how long had he felt this way?

 ...

 **A/N:**  I hope you enjoyed this...please let me know what you think!  Up next...Chapter 6:  Putty In Your Hands


	6. Putty In Your Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, are you ready for Felicity’s big Saturday plans? I don’t think Oliver is… I’ll admit I’m a bit nervous about posting this chapter *sits in corner biting fingernails* but I do hope you like it!

Saturday morning, Oliver listened to the GPS in his Mercedes as the computerized voice instructed him to turn left onto Main Street. Last night he’d considered researching this address, but Felicity requested that it be a secret and he wanted to honor her wishes.  And besides, he wasn’t sure how successful he would have been at researching, since his brain was utterly muddled from the parking lot episode.  Felicity had pretty much climbed him like a tree in front of the bowling alley, and he’d been about two seconds from taking her on the hood of his car. Even now, he swore he could still smell her on his clothes, although he’d showered this morning and no longer wore his beautiful polyester shirt.   Somehow, this woman had lodged herself securely inside him, in an abandoned, cobweb-laden corner of his mind. 

His leg bounced impatiently as he waited at a red light. 

They’d only begun playing her little game on Monday, yet her every move entranced him. A connection like that didn’t happen in five days – at least not to him.  Felicity now occupied all his waking thoughts (and a hell of a lot of the sleeping ones, too), so Oliver could only assume he’d been in tune to her for far longer than he thought.  He just had no idea when or where that happened.

The light turned green and Oliver gunned the gas. 

Of course he hadn’t been _utterly_ oblivious to her these past six years, even if that’s what Felicity believed.  She’d just seemed so young and innocent at first, and then they’d worked so perfectly together, functioning as a well-oiled machine, and then came her intermittent boyfriends.  And there he was, grappling with Isabel being in and out of the picture, while he struggled to build a company and a reputation from the ground up. There had never been time to relax and breathe and look at what might be walking around in front of his face.

But none of that mattered now, because ever since Tommy said Felicity’s name on Monday morning, Oliver became a snowball careening downhill.  He didn’t want to stop. 

The problem? Felicity was still playing a game. And in three weeks’ time, she wouldn’t even be doing that.  She would be gone.

Oliver cursed as he turned another corner. 

Felicity not being in his life wasn’t an option.  But she was strong-willed and determined to leave, so what could he do? Maybe he could ask Tommy what he thought – if he could tell Tommy about him and Felicity – if there _was_ a him-and-Felicity.  Pretty big ifs, but he needed to make them happen. He needed to convince her to give him a chance.  If she wanted him to dance uncoordinatedly in public and sing poorly in bars and wear insanely ugly shirts, then he would do it.  Although he’d have to put up a fight about those damn bowling shoes.

“Arriving at destination,” the GPS voice announced.  Oliver pulled his Mercedes against the curb, put the car in park, and looked out the window. He was in front of an older, well kept, single-story house on the edge of downtown Starling. The house’s siding was painted pink, the wrapped front porch white.  He read the sign above the entrance:  _The Pooch Palace_.

Oliver glanced back at the address jotted down on Felicity’s little slip of paper.  _Yes, this is the place_. Exiting the car, he stuffed his keys in his jeans’ pocket and walked up the short sidewalk.  The lawn was green and weed-free; the steps didn’t squeak under his weight as he climbed.  Unsure of what to expect from his secretive secretary, he knocked on the front door with overwhelming curiosity…tempered by a healthy dose of fear.

A woman’s singsong voice answered, “Come in.”

Oliver opened the large white door, setting off a tinkling gold bell above his head. As the bell jingled, several dog barks came from the back of the house.  He stepped into the front room and noticed a large, simple, wood front desk with a petite woman standing behind it.  She was about Felicity’s age, had wavy, long brown hair, wore a pink T-shirt and blue jeans, and looked entranced by a computer screen. 

“Welcome to the Pooch Palace,” she said, slow to turn from the computer, “are you dropping off or…” Her prerecorded message faltered when she finally made eye contact with him.  “Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.  It’s you.”

“I’m sorry,” Oliver replied, moving closer to the tall desk.  “Do I know you?”

“Not at all.” She smiled, holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Caitlin.”

“Hello Caitlin, I’m…”

“Oliver Queen,” she filled in, taking his hand in a firm shake.  “Felicity!” she hollered, setting off several more distant dog barks as she released his hand.  “She’ll just be a minute.  You find the place okay?”

“Um, yes. I take it you were expecting me?”

“Um-hmm. Sure.”  She sized him up like an artifact at a curiosity shop.

“ _Cate_ ,” Oliver recalled.  “Do you go by Cate?”

Her grin widened and she nodded. “That’s me.”

“Felicity talks to you on the phone all the time.”

“Yeah. She and I don’t keep any secrets.”

“Really?” He leaned over the desk. “Can you tell me why she…”

“Oliver!” Felicity announced her arrival, cutting an eye at Caitlin, who smirked. “I’m really glad you made it.”

He turned to see Felicity step out of the back room.  She glided toward him, a sight of beauty in a pink T-shirt and jeans, her wild hair contained by a ponytail and her eyes sparkling behind her glasses. Her lip gloss was also pink...probably cotton candy, his favorite flavor so far.   

“I made it just fine. Can I ask where I am?”

Caitlin cleared her throat. “Well, that’s my cue to leave, I think.” She came around the desk, stopping in front of Felicity.  “You need my help with anything else today?”

“Not right now. Thanks, Cate.”

“Um-hmm.” Caitlin turned back to him. “It was really nice to meet you, Oliver. Really, really, really nice.”

“Yeah. You too.”  He didn’t miss the exchange of glances between the women as Cate moved around them and headed out the door.  It clicked shut and more barking ensued.

“I’m sorry,” he offered, “is my being here upsetting Caitlin?”

“Of course not.”  Felicity smiled. “So, what do you think?”

“About what?”

“About this,” she said, spreading her arms wide.  “I thought you might like to see where I’d be spending my time after I leave Arrow Architecture.”

“Oh,” Oliver considered, looking around the sparsely furnished, mahogany-paneled room. “This is where you’ll be working?”

She grinned.  “I own it.”

“You own it?”

“Yup. I co-own with Cate, actually. Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

She grabbed his hand and pulled him along as Oliver absorbed her words. Funny, he hadn’t thought to ask what she would do when she left; part of him still couldn’t accept that she’d resigned.  “What kind of business is this, exactly?” he asked as she walked them through a door, down a hallway, and into a large room filled with cages of varying sizes.

A resounding chorus of barks broke out as she replied, “Doggy daycare.”

Oliver glanced at the dozens of crates filled with canines, both large and small. “People actually pay you to baby-sit their dogs?”

“Absolutely.”

“Why don’t they just leave them at home in the backyard?”

Felicity laughed.  “Because they love them and want them looked after.  I’m sure you can understand; didn’t you have a pet growing up?”

Oliver shook his head.

“Never?”

“No, never.”

“Not even a hamster or a turtle or a cricket or anything?”

“Nope. Not even a cricket.”

“Hmm,” Felicity considered, nibbling on her lower lip.  “Then I’m guessing forty dogs in a big room isn’t what you’re used to.”

“Um, no,” Oliver conceded, taking in the surroundings.  Dozens of little black and brown eyes stared him down. “Do you actually make money doing this?”

“You’d be surprised what people will pay to make sure their fluffy little balls of love are looked after.”

“Fluffy little balls of love?”

Felicity grinned as the door bell tinkled in the distance. “Ooh…customer,” she said, turning back down the hall.  Oliver followed on her heels.

“Hello, Ms. Travers!”

A small, grandmotherly woman, silver-haired with pale blue eyes, stood by the front desk, an intimidating Great Dane at her feet.  “Hello, Felicity dear.  Just bringing Tug for a visit.”

“Of course.  How long will we have him today?”

“Oh, I just need to run a few errands, get my hair done.  I’m seeing Mr. Wilks tonight.”

Felicity smiled, moving to the computer and punching in information. “How exciting! A hot date with Mr. Wilks?”

“As hot as it gets when you’re eighty.”

Felicity laughed and Oliver joined her, calling attention to his presence in the doorway.  Ms. Travers glanced at him.  “Oh, hello, young man. Are you new here?”

“Um, yes.”

Felicity finished on the computer and caught his eye.  “This is Oliver.  He’s helping me out for the day.”

“Wonderful,” Ms. Travers responded, holding out her dog’s leash. “Then you can take my Tug. I always worry about Felicity – she’s such a slip of a thing.”

“An adorable slip,” Oliver corrected as he stepped forward and took the leash. The Great Dane eyed him. “I take it he’s a friendly dog?”

“A love,” Ms. Travers assured, moving to the door.  “See you in a few hours.”

“Goodbye,” Felicity called.  She walked back to Oliver’s side.  “It’s so cute, her and Mr. Wilks.  He dropped his Pekinese off a few hours ago so he could go to the barber shop.”

“Did they meet each other here, dropping off their dogs?”

“Absolutely.” She grinned and elbowed him. “I told you I was a good love coach.”

“You are good at everything you do.  Apparently, I’ve just got bowling and architecture.”

Felicity laughed as she walked toward the back room.  “Come on, see the rest of the place.  And watch out for Tug.”

She spoke too late.  The Dane jumped after Felicity, nearly pulling Oliver over on his face. “Holy crap, this thing is strong,” he muttered.

Felicity kept laughing.  “Just let him know who the boss is.”  Moving down the hallway, she pointed to various doors, indifferent to Oliver’s struggles with the hairy beast.  “This is the office, there’s the bathroom, over here is the stockroom, and you’ve already seen the kennel.”

They arrived back in the large room of multitudinous dogs and Felicity took Tug’s leash.  The canine instantly settled at her feet.  “Good boy.”

“Me or him?” Oliver wondered.

“Um, both.”  She grinned as she unhooked Tug from his leash.  “Stay,” she instructed the Great Dane.  “Come,” she said to Oliver.

He chuckled, following her out of the back door and into a large open yard. Several caged sections surrounded the main area, half of which was paved, the other half a lush green turf. “Wow.  This is a big yard.”

“It’s the reason we bought this place.  Cate and I have big plans.”

Oliver didn’t miss the sparkle in her eye.  “What plans?”

“Well, when we get the capital, we’re going to have an entire doggy gym built out here, so the pooches can play in style.”

“Do you think you’ll make that kind of money?”

“Absolutely. We’ve only been at this for six months and already we’re completely in the black on the books. Plus, I have so many other ideas.”

“Like what?”

“Well, I want to design my own line of dog collars, and maybe even clothes. And homemade treats using only organic ingredients.  We can have portrait days and…”

She kept talking but Oliver zoned out as he watched her lips move. She thrummed with excitement, bouncing in place as she dreamed of her potential.  Oliver knew the thrill of starting his own business, of being his own boss.  And that’s what Felicity was: her own boss.  The student had become the master. 

She stopped talking and looked up at him.

“Felicity, I’m impressed.”

“Really?”

“Yes, completely.  You’ve created something special here.  You should be proud.”

“I…wow. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

She smiled, as beautiful as he had ever seen, and he had to kiss her right now – even if it was the only one she allowed him all day.  He reached out and pulled her to him, lowering his mouth to hers.  Felicity didn’t stop him or shout warnings about destroying the anticipation.  She just kissed him back, responding the moment their lips touched. 

She was all heat and cotton candy and sexy little sighs and Oliver wanted her more than anything he’d ever wanted in his life.  She didn’t play coy; her tongue wrapped in his, her body pressed close, her hands drifted over his back and into his hair.  He would have happily thrown her in the grass and peeled off her jeans, if not for the excessive barking ringing in his ears.

“Why are they so loud?” he grumbled against her lips.

Felicity laughed. “They’re getting antsy. It’s exercise time.” She eased away, putting her arms down to her sides.

He missed her.  “What does that mean?”

“I take them out in two separate groups and let them run the yard. The ones that don’t play well with others go in the caged dog runs; the rest gallivant around out here. I have to supervise and make sure there’s no unnecessary roughhousing.”

“That sounds like a lot of work.  Where did Cate go?  Is she coming back?”

“Cate runs the place all week while I’m at work; I take the weekends. When we first started it was manageable, but now we’re so busy.  We’re planning to hire someone else soon, but until then I have to give her a break.”

“But…this is a lot for just you.  Can I help with something?”

Felicity stilled, the sparkle in her eyes dulling just a bit.  She stared at the ground a moment before looking back to him. “I was hoping you would say that. You are coming along splendidly, Oliver.”

“How so?”

“This is the next step in my love coaching plan.  I call it, ‘Doing whatever your woman tells you to do’.  If you help out with her needs, afterwards she’ll be putty in your hands.”

Oliver stared into her, painfully aware that Felicity was still invested in her little game. But he’d already made up his mind to continue playing along, until he convinced her that they could be more than just this.  He _would_ convince her.  No matter what it took.  “Great. Let’s get started, then.”

“You promise to do whatever I ask?”

“Well, if it’s you asking, I’ll do it, Felicity.”

 ...

It started simply, with a little filing.  He could do that. Data entry of paper files into computer format and reorganizing the current files.  When he finished, she seemed impressed with what he’d done…but she didn’t miss a beat before she led him to the stockroom and asked him to rearrange all the dog food in order of manufacturer and type.

As Felicity brought hounds of varying shapes and colors in and out of the kennel room, Oliver put his back into organizing the stock.  He’d never realized how many different kinds of dog food existed, or how heavy the bags were.  There wasn’t enough shelving to accommodate all the cans; he eventually created can pyramids, although some remained on the floor.

Felicity came in when he was nearly finished, said, “Good job,” and asked him to help retrieve the feisty beasts from the runs while she tended to customers at the front desk. This task was a bit worse…Oliver didn’t do well with animals, having never been around them, and would have been happier with some type of wrangler’s gloves on.  Thankfully, the pooches were just playful and the worst part was avoiding the steaming presents they’d left on the ground.

Until five o’clock, everything progressed smoothly.  Oliver’s true moment of realization didn’t come until he’d finished getting the last of the dogs inside while Felicity ran back and forth between the kennel and the front desk. 

“Oh good, thanks,” she huffed, watching him drag in a Rottweiler named Goliath. “His owner is here.” Felicity took Goliath’s leash and started moving up the hallway when she stopped and turned back. “Also, would you mind washing down the runs while I’m finishing up?”

His brow arched. “Washing them down?”

“Yeah,” she said as the front door bell tinkled.  “Just clean them up a bit, and then the courtyard area, and whatever is left on the ground afterward you can get up with the scoopers – they’re resting up against the back wall. I’d help but it’s the busiest time of day; everyone comes for pickups now.”

She turned and scurried up the hallway, Goliath in tow, leaving Oliver standing alone in the kennel. He stared after her for a long minute before walking out the back door to survey the hellish mess forty dogs left in a courtyard after five hours of play.  Arming himself with the hose and a pooper-scooper, he headed into a germaphobe’s nightmare. 

And then it hit him.

Somewhere between spraying a jet of water at dog patties and trying to scoop little brown logs out of the grass, he got it.  Felicity’s game wasn’t about love coaching.  She didn’t want to teach him to sparkle – or prepare him for a life with Isabel – or fashion him into the perfect mate.  The name of her game was _revenge_.

He remembered her wild eyes as she’d yelled at him in the restaurant Monday; he vividly recalled her outrage at being asked out with such practicality.  She claimed she wasn’t angry with him for using her as more than a secretary, but obviously she lied.  She was pissed as hell.

Now, Oliver finally understood.  Felicity set out five days ago to punish him.  To make him do the things she knew would cause the most discomfort. Like dancing in the grass. Singing karaoke in front of strangers. Bowling in a hideous shirt.

And shoveling dog crap.

It was genius, really. Evil genius.  And he’d fallen into it with all the grace of a floundering teenage boy panting after a luscious woman in full control of her world.

Oliver picked up another steamy pile.  He steadied his breath as he worked, making sure he didn’t get any of the foul stuff on his clothes. And he thought about wringing her neck. Her slender, beautiful, perfect little neck.  

...           

Felicity stood at the back window, watching Oliver’s jerky movements as he picked up doggy patties in the yard.  Everyone was gone except Tug.  Felicity wasn’t worried about Ms. Travers coming to pick up her pooch.  But she _was_ worried about her boss’s thoughts. 

_Does he know now?_

From his disjointed movements and the scowl on his face, she would say yes. She wasn’t even sure why he was still here.  He should have stormed out – moments after calling her a slew of nasty names and telling her not to bother coming back to work, ever.  She supposed Laurel could clean her desk out for her.

The entryway bell jangled and Felicity took one last look at Oliver’s stiff back before she grabbed Tug’s leash and led him up front. “Hey, Ms. Travers, don’t you look pretty!”

“Oh, Felicity, you’re so sweet.  Do you think Mr. Wilks will like it?”

Felicity smiled as she surveyed the fresh blue glow of Ms. Travers’ silver up-do and the rosy circles on her crinkly cheeks.  “I think he’ll love it.  He was here today, too, you know.”

“Really?” Ms. Travers asked, reaching out to take Tug’s leash.  “Did he seem excited about tonight?”

“More than you, even.”

“I can’t imagine.”

Felicity leaned back on the desk, smiling.  “I’m sure you’ll both have a wonderful time.”

“And what about you, Felicity?” Ms. Travers questioned with a twinkle in her eye. “Do you have plans with that nice Oliver?”

“Um, no.  I don’t think so.”

“Oh, but he called you adorable.  I’m sure he likes you.”

Felicity smiled halfheartedly.  Maybe he did, this morning.  But definitely not now. “I like him too, Ms. Travers. I like him a lot.”

“Well, he’s behind you, dear.  So you should tell him that, I think.”

Felicity stilled, now able to feel Oliver’s intense eyes boring into her back. Ms. Travers winked at her as she led Tug out the front door.  It clicked behind her and the store went silent.  Felicity was alone with Oliver…with no one to hear her scream.

She inhaled, forced a smile, and turned. 

Oliver stood in the doorway that led to the back hall, his large, thick body easily consuming every inch of space inside the wood doorframe.  He stared at her, the glare from his steel eyes erasing her artificial grin.

Felicity steadied herself with a hand on the tall desk.  “Oliver – there you are.”

He moved toward her.  Long, purposeful strides closed the distance between them instantly.  Felicity plastered her back to the desk, craning her neck to look him in the eye, as his heated body came flush with hers.

“I’m curious, Felicity,” he growled, “as to what you’d like me to do next. If stocking shelves and wrangling dogs and shoveling crap wasn’t enough for you, I imagine I could scrub the floor. Or perhaps the toilet? Maybe I could wash all the dogs and brush their teeth, too.”  He inched even closer.  “Tell me, Felicity, would that make you happy?”

Fire burned in his eyes.  She’d never seen him like this, with anger seething from every pore of his well-muscled body. “I…I th-think we’re done for today. Tomorrow, maybe.”

Oliver drew up to his full, intimidating height, his fierce gaze keeping her pinned in place. Amazingly, he didn’t smell like dog. He smelled incredible – like a powerful man after a hard day’s work _should_ smell. 

Oliver grabbed her hips, pulling her forward, fitting her body onto his.  He stared hard at her mouth.  Felicity’s breathing turned ragged, but she still licked her lips in anticipation.  Was it wrong to be this attracted to him when he so obviously wanted to kill her?

She stilled as his hands dragged up her arms and over her neck, as his fingers ran roughly across her cheeks before he steadied her face with both hands.  His lips came down and Felicity closed her eyes, trembling all over.  The heat of his breath lit a fire on her skin.  She wanted to feel his mouth on hers.  Damn, she wanted it. She wanted _him_.  To throw her against the desk and tear her clothes off and…  

And then he was gone. Before she could pry her eyes open, she heard the tinkling of the bell as he disappeared through the front door. A second later, she heard his car engine rev. Then skidding tires. Then nothing.

Oliver was gone.

Felicity forced her wobbly legs around the desk and into a chair.  She hung her head in one hand, dialing the phone with the other. Cate’s voice sang into her ear. “So, how’d it go?”

“I did it. It’s done.”

“He’s officially knocked off his high and mighty throne?”

“You could say that. I made him shovel crap.”

“Wow. From Über-boss to poop-shoveler in five short days.  You played a skillful hand, my friend.  So tell me, how does it feel to finally have your revenge?” 

Felicity sighed, acutely aware that she might never see Oliver Queen again. 

“It’s just awful, Cate. It’s so incredibly awful.”

“I know, honey. And I love you so much, I’m not even going to say, ‘I told you so.’”

... 

 **A/N** : Alright, I honestly don't know if you guys liked that chapter, but I do know two things :).  The first is that the end of Felicity’s revenge is nowhere near the end of this story, because these two have so much more emotional baggage to unpack.  And the second thing? I love you guys (seriously, all your kind comments just warm my heart - the Olicity fandom is amazing)!  So, I’m not going to leave you hanging…I promise to update tomorrow. Thanks for sticking with me! Up next…Chapter 7: Regrets


	7. Regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, awesome people! Thanks for coming back, and for all the inspiring comments! Here is Chapter 7, and I can summarize it in 7 words: Oliver Queen cannot leave Felicity Smoak alone :)

If revenge is a dish best served cold, then regret is the slime left around the edge of the bowl the next day after you’d eaten all the revenge you could stand but hadn’t remembered to soak the bowl in hot water and dish soap overnight.

At least that’s what Felicity concluded as she stared into the mirror Sunday morning.  Priding herself on being a go-getter and a rose-colored-glasses girl, she wasn’t used to this overwhelming emotion.  She’d previously regretted only two things:  wearing leg warmers in middle school (really, they were only a good thing in the 80’s) and getting involved with Cooper.  Now, she had another regret to deal with.

She focused hard on putting on makeup, since the bags under her eyes weren’t going anywhere after the little sleep she’d managed.  Her only chance at not looking like a zombie was extra-curl mascara and thick eye shadow.  At least the pooches wouldn’t mind her appearance.

Felicity exhaled, wondering if Oliver would throw her a bone by allowing her to clean out her desk in person.  Would she hear from him again?  Even for the purpose of yelling at her?  Probably not. Ever.

She forced a brush through her bed-tousled hair and winced. “It’s just as well he’s out of my life,” she muttered, choking on her own sour grapes.  “I wouldn’t have been able to hide behind love coaching and lip gloss much longer.” 

Felicity knew that, at some point, Oliver would have started kissing her and she wouldn’t have had the will – or desire – to stop him.  She’d practically mounted him in the parking lot of the bowling alley, for crying out loud. He was just so hot and so perfect, and she would definitely have given in to her unabated, overpowering lust for all things Oliver.  Even when she knew, beyond a doubt, that he would leave her to return to Isabel one day.

She shuddered at the thought as she looked in the mirror.  “You did the right thing,” she tried to reassure herself.  “It was definitely better to push him out of your life now, before things went too far, than to have him rip your heart out later.”

But this crushing regret, apparently, was something she would have to live with forever.

Setting her brush on the sink, she pulled her hair up into a high pony, slipped her glasses onto her nose, and practiced smiling at her reflection. She passed muster on the outside. Even if her insides were a murky heap of goo.

 ...

Felicity pulled up to the Pooch Palace at eight and, within minutes, customers came through the door.  Soon she was alone with a house full of dogs.  She concentrated on taking them in and out of the backyard, throwing balls and playing in the grass as they barked and jumped on her. They really were fluffy little balls of love, and her heart felt a smidge lighter when she came in for an early lunch.

She returned Peaches the Poodle and Sugar the Yorkie to their crates before grabbing her sandwich. Slumping into her office chair, she took a bite just as the bell jingled over the entry.  “That figures,” she grumbled, “just when you sit down…”

She stood and stepped toward the hallway as a man moved past her door, paying no attention to her. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating.  Then she heard a thud.

Felicity followed the sound down the hall to the stockroom. She stood in the doorway, not believing her eyes.  Oliver crouched on the floor, setting down several large wood boards.  He wore a black T-shirt and grey cargo pants, both of which strained against the muscles in his arms and legs.  When he stood, she nearly fell over.

He turned to her and smiled.  “Hello, Felicity.  Sorry I wasn’t here sooner but the lumberyard didn’t open as early as I would have liked.”

She had absolutely no idea what to say, so she settled for, “Lumberyard?”

“Yes.” He moved toward her and Felicity focused in on his intent eyes.  “My love coach told me I should help out with my woman’s needs, and you need more shelving in your stockroom.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get a few more things out of my truck.”

Speechless, she moved aside.  His arm brushed against hers as he stepped into the hallway, the heat of his skin warming her insides.  Felicity followed on his heels until he disappeared out the front door.  She peered out of the window.

Oliver walked to a massive 4x4 hunter green truck parked curbside. He reached into the back, hauling out a well stocked tool belt and a large shopping bag.  When he turned to walk back, Felicity ducked away from the window and stood in the middle of the floor, attempting nonchalance.

He came back inside and looked to her.  “I don’t mean to disturb your workday.  Just go about your business.  Pretend I’m not even here.”

 _Yeah, right.  When monkeys fly out of my butt_.  “Um, don’t you need help?”

“Nope. I’m good.”  He nodded to her before moving back down the hall and into the stockroom.

Felicity toddled after him, peering around the doorway to watch him work. He cinched the tool belt around his waist and took out a tape measure, assessing the far wall of the room. Felicity leaned against the door jam. “Since when do you build things by hand?”

“Since I learned to walk, pretty much,” he explained as he measured. “It’s the reason I became an architect.”

“Oh.”

“You sound surprised.”

“Well, I guess I always thought of you more as the brains, not the brawn.”

Oliver glanced back at her.  “Can’t I be both?”

 _No, you can’t be both! You can’t be perfect at everything!  You are torturing my ovaries!_  “I guess you can.”

He began marking the wall at intervals.  “You know, not everything has to fit in a category, Felicity. Not everything needs rules. Sometimes you just go with what feels right.”

 _Oh my Lord, did Mr. Everything-Has-A-Place-And-A-Purpose just tell me to loosen up?_ “Um, since when?”

He chuckled.  “For me? Since this past Monday, I suppose.”

The day he’d decided to use her for his science experiment on love. Was he trying to tell her now that asking her out felt right to him?  She couldn’t believe her ears.  Or the bounding leap of her pulse.  “Well, I guess I’ll let you get to work.  I’ll be around if you need me.”

His eyes met hers and held them.  “If I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

 ...

Felicity kept pouring water in the food bowls and returning dogs to the wrong crates.   Thankfully, her happy tenants didn’t seem to care; they waited patiently for her to realize how badly she’d screwed up.  Funny, she’d thought her biggest screw-up was yesterday, when she’d turned Oliver into her manservant. Yet here he was, voluntarily doing her dirty work.  What the heck did that mean? Did he forgive her for exacting revenge? Or was he plotting a punishment of his own?  Lord, just the _sight_ of him was agony, since she couldn’t rightfully jump his bones.

Grateful whenever a client came in, Felicity seized each opportunity to walk past the stockroom and glance at his large, toned body performing manual labor. So strong, so intent, so sexy. She would have paid out every last penny in her bank account in order to trade places with his tool belt.

The last client came to collect his puppy just before five. Felicity noticed Oliver placing food cans on his newly constructed shelves as she passed by.  She took Peaches out to Mr. Sully and chatted a few minutes. Then she closed the front door and turned around. 

Oliver rested against the same doorframe as yesterday, but now he wasn’t oozing anger from every pore. Today he looked ridiculously adorable, with little bits of wood and plaster on his clothes and his tool belt hanging cocked to one side.  Felicity shifted legs, clenching her fingers as she worked up the nerve to say something. All she managed was, “Hey.”

“Hey.”

“Hey,” she repeated, biting into her lip as she cursed inwardly.

Oliver smiled. “Was that your last client?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you heading home?  Because I can finish up here if you’re leaving.”

“Oh, no. I’ve got some paperwork to catch up on, so you can stay.  I mean, if you want. Although it looks like you’re almost finished.”

“I am finished in the stockroom.  But I thought you could use a couple shelves in your office, too.”

She couldn’t believe how kind he was being.  Did he really not hate her?  “That sounds wonderful.  Thank you.”

Oliver nodded.  “You’re welcome.”

Felicity watched him turn and walk down the hallway, his tight butt sinfully outlined with his movements.  She followed along, trying not to drool like a bulldog, before making her way into her office. Sitting at her desk, she stared at her computer, straining her peripheral vision to watch him bring tools and wood into the room. 

He sized up the wall beside her, standing in silence for several moments. Then he turned around. Felicity pretended she wasn’t aware of his eyes burning holes in her skin.  She glared at the computer screen and gulped.

Oliver leaned back against the wall.  “Felicity, I need to say something to you.”

She rotated in her chair, her eyes fixating on his.  _Is he going to start yelling at me now? Tell me not to come back to work? Ask if I’ve lost my damn mind?_

It was all she could do to sit still. 

“Monday at the restaurant,” he began, running a hand across the back of his neck, “I screwed things up pretty badly.  Believe it or not, I was trying to apologize for the past six years, for letting you be more than my secretary.  You took care of me in ways I shouldn’t have allowed, and I am truly sorry for that.  But, even more, I’m sorry for the way I asked you out.  When Tommy suggested I date you…”

“ _Tommy_? Tommy Merlyn told you to ask me out?”

“Yes. Tommy is my best friend; he knows me, probably better than anyone.  He made the suggestion, and I need to thank him.  He opened my eyes, Felicity.  I may be good at architecture – and bowling – but I’ll admit I’m rather obtuse when it comes to emotions.  I didn’t see how much I hurt you through the years, and I didn’t see how asking you out might also hurt you.  I understand why you wanted to punish me.”

Felicity cringed. There it was.  He said it.  Her revenge was on the table. 

With her heart pounding inside her chest, Felicity leaned forward in her chair and focused on his face. “God, I’m so sorry, Oliver. I really, truly am. I want you to know that I regret that decision.  In fact, I regret everything that happened this past week.  Well, you know, except for all the time we got to spend together. I don’t regret that. Oh, and the kissing – I don’t regret that _at all_.  I mean, _wow_. I’ll admit, after all these years, I really didn’t think you wanted me like that.  But, _boy_ , did you prove me wrong and I just…”  Felicity watched Oliver’s mouth pull into a slow grin as she spoke and she managed to stop herself before anything worse came out.  Sitting back in her seat, she refocused on the problem at hand.  “So…are you planning on getting back at me now?”

“Oh, don’t think I didn’t consider it, last night around midnight.  But by two in the morning, I’d decided on a different course of action.”

She held her breath, just barely managing to maintain his intent gaze.  “And what course of action is that?”

“I want to be with you, Felicity,” he stated simply, his blue eyes never leaving hers. “Whatever games you want to play, I’ll play them.  Although I’d prefer they didn’t include bowling shoes or dog poop, if that’s okay. And when you’re done playing games, I’ll still be here.”

Her mouth dropped open, groping for words.  “I…”

“Please, don’t say anything now.  Just think about it.”  Oliver turned and knelt down, pulling several sheets of paper out of the shopping bag at his feet.  “In the meantime, I’d like to do something else for you, to make up for all my mistakes.”

He stood and handed her the papers.  Felicity glanced down at several sketches drawn in Oliver’s distinct, bold strokes. She’d know his designs anywhere; she’d admired every building he’d ever imagined.  But this was something she’d never seen before: a miniature palatial structure filled with spirals and steps and slides.  “Oliver, is this…?”

“It’s your dog gym, for your backyard.  I designed it like a palace, for the Pooch Palace, and I put an obstacle course in that I thought would entertain them.  There’s also a special place toward the back where they can be trained to go to the bathroom, so you don’t have to treasure hunt every day.”

Felicity sat, speechless.

Oliver cleared his throat. “If there’s anything you don’t like, I’d be happy to change it.  It’s really just a rough…”

“I love it,” she insisted, looking up to his eyes.  “I absolutely love it.  Thank you. Thank you so much. As soon as I’m able, I’ll hire someone to start building.”

“You don’t have to; I already did.  Actually, I just called in a favor to my brother.  We’ll get supplies this week and he’ll help me build next weekend.”

“You mean your little brother Barry, the hot-shot Central City lawyer?”

“Well, he’s not _that_ much of a hot-shot, but yes.”

“Wow, I…wow. I don’t know what to say. I’ll pay you back, of course.”

“No, Felicity. This is my idea. Let me do it, please. Arrow Architecture wouldn’t be where it is today if not for you; I just want to help your business the way you helped mine.  I mean, I can’t possibly do for you all of the things you did for me over the years, but I would like to do this much, at the very least.”

Felicity absorbed the perfect sincerity in his bright eyes before staring at the drawings in her hands, her heart in her throat. 

“Well, I’ll get back to work now.  I’ll have these shelves up in no time.”

He returned his attention to the wall, but Felicity couldn’t see anything but his incredible sketches. She spread them out on her desk, amazed. The gym was exactly what she’d envisioned, exactly what she and Cate hoped to have, one day. He’d done everything the way she would have, if she’d had the knowledge or expertise to put it down on paper. And he’d done it at two in the morning and brought it to her here, now, even after she’d made him organize her stockroom and shovel dog patties.

She didn’t deserve his kindness.  Not after how she’d treated him.  She may have cursed him once or twice in the six years they’d been together, but she’d always known what an incredible man he was.  Intelligent, sweet, generous: these were the reasons she’d fallen in love with him.

Oliver started drilling a hole in the wall and Felicity glanced over.  The definition of his bicep as he wielded his power tool was nearly her undoing. She loved Oliver because he was such a great person, but she _wanted_ Oliver because he was the hottest thing she’d ever laid eyes on. Felicity angled her chair toward him and sat back, absorbing every movement of his body.

How many fantasies had she had about this man?  Too many to count. From Oliver-in-a-vampire-cape to Oliver-the-policeman to Oliver-the-hooded-vigilante, Felicity thought she’d imagined every possible way for him to take her in a rapturous fit of passion.  But she’d never pictured him as a handyman putting up shelves in her office.

She loved what she saw.

She loved the way he moved, the way his muscles flexed beneath his shirt, the way his large hands manipulated the tools.  She loved the way he smelled, clean and spicy; his scent filled her nostrils and made her want to purr until he paid attention.  She loved the way his cargo pants hugged his butt as he knelt to set the drill on the floor before standing back up again.  She almost wished he’d shown her a plumber’s crack.  Almost.

And she loved the telltale bulge in the front of his pants…the one not concealed by the dangling screwdrivers and hammers on his tool belt.  She wondered what he would do if she ran her fingers over the thick, defined ridge. Would he clench his teeth together? Moan?  Growl?

With her imagination in overdrive, Felicity continued to stare at the front of his pants. Until it occurred to her that Oliver wasn’t moving anymore.  And that, since she was staring at the _front_ of his pants, he must be facing her.  Which meant he’d probably been watching her stare at the front of his pants. For a while.

She dragged her gaze off of his delectable bulge, and up his rock hard chest, until her light eyes landed on his deep, intense blues.  Heat flooded her face.  _Damn, is there any way to pretend I wasn’t just gawking at his package?_   

His steel gaze burned into her, and Felicity knew there was no sense pretending; her wicked thoughts were open to his scrutiny.  She held her breath as she watched Oliver’s eyes respond by falling down the length of her body before easing slowly back up again, lingering on the curve of her hips and the swell of her breasts, before settling on her lips.  One of his eyebrows curved up as his mouth pulled into a sinful grin.

She didn’t know who moved first.

Maybe she sprung out of the chair, maybe he pulled her.  She couldn’t be sure; all she knew was one second they were having eye sex and the next second they became a tangled mess of mouths and tongues and hands.

She clawed at his shirt. He pushed her back on the desk. A straight rod stabbed her in the leg. “Wow, that’s really hard,” she mumbled against his lips.

“What?” Oliver glanced down. “Oh, sorry…hammer.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”  He fumbled to remove the tools. Felicity tried to help, her trembling fingers pulling at the belt.  Oliver finally got it undone and dropped it to the ground; it landed on his foot and he cursed but didn’t miss a beat.  His tongue tangled back with hers, hot and wet and demanding.  

Felicity leaned against the desk as he fit himself between her legs; her hands roamed over his back and down to the waistband of his jeans.  She balled his shirt in her fists, raking her green-painted fingernails across his hot skin, enjoying the sharp intake of his breath.  Her hands climbed farther up, tracing the line of his spine, urging him closer.

Oliver pulled back, just a little, to grab hold of her face.  He stared into her eyes as they panted in synchronicity.  “Tell me, Felicity, are you done punishing me now?”

Working to catch her breath, she nodded.

“Say it. I want to hear you say it.”

“I’m done,” she breathed, desperate to have his mouth back on hers.  “I’m done.”

He smiled, and then kissed her again – deeper this time, pressing her down until the sketches on her desk crumpled to the shape of her ass.  Felicity continued working her hands under his shirt, fingers splayed against his back as he moved his mouth across her jaw and over her neck.  He nuzzled into her shoulder and nipped at her skin.

Images of him in a Dracula cape popped into her head and Felicity nearly had The Big One. She was incapable of controlling the odd squeal-moan that escaped from her throat.  Oliver stilled at the sound as she tried fruitlessly to calm herself down.  Then she felt his lips pull into a grin and he nipped back against the same spot.

The sound sprang out of her again, but Felicity decided she didn’t care.  Crazed with anticipation, she reached down, running her hand across the hard ridge in his pants, moving her fingers skillfully over his length, again and again, feeling him grow even bigger and harder with her movements. And then he made an interesting noise of his own and she smiled. 

 _He’s a growler_. 

Oliver brought his mouth back to hers and Felicity kissed him wildly and deeply as her fingers reached for the button on his pants.  She got it undone but fumbled with the zipper.  Then Oliver stepped back suddenly, steadying her by the arms when she nearly pitched forward off the desk.

“Felicity, I don’t…”

“What?”

“I don’t have any…”

“Any what?”

He forced a deep breath.  “I don’t have any protection with me.”

“Oh,” she said, looking up into his eyes.

“My house?”

Felicity nodded.

He grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out of the building.

 ...

 **A/N:**  Well, hello there!  So glad to see you here!  Love to know what you think of this chapter.  :) Tina


	8. Oliver vs. The Emotion Planet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody, thanks so much for all your amazing comments and support and your general awesomeness! Come on, let's go to Oliver's house! :)

Felicity watched Oliver’s hands grip the steering wheel and the stick shift as he drove – hands that would be on her again the moment they got to his house. Damn, she wanted that. This was it; she was finally going to have the man of her multitudinous dreams.

If only he could have taken her on the desk in her office…then she wouldn’t have this time to think.  Thinking sucked. Since all she could think about was Isabel.

Felicity turned to look out the window, into the darkening night. She knew Isabel wasn’t out of the picture; if history had taught her anything, it was that those kinds of on-again, off-again relationships never really ended.  Maybe she could settle her fears somewhat if Oliver told her what had happened with his illustrious ex, but he wouldn’t, would he?  He never spoke about personal things and he’d just admitted, back in her office, how emotionally obtuse he was. 

But Felicity wasn’t.  Felicity had enough emotions to form her own planet.  She’d been in love with Oliver forever, and what they were about to do – if they _ever_ got to his house – would be a colossal mistake if she couldn’t keep those rampant feelings in check. Cooper hurt her, but Oliver? Lord, there was no end to the destruction he could wreak on her emotion-planet. 

She peeked back at him and Oliver’s eyes immediately met hers. He smiled before refocusing on the road, letting go of the stick shift and reaching over to rest his hand on her thigh.  The heat from his long fingers melted through her jeans.

Felicity stared at the spectacle of his large hand settled against her leg, as if it belonged there.  She moistened her lips, skin thrumming with the anticipation of feeling those fingers in places she hadn’t been touched in a long time.  And never by Oliver Queen.

She reconsidered her potential plight.  Sure, emotional hell was a bad place to wind up; Felicity figured that when Oliver left her and went back to Isabel, she may as well tie herself up on a rack and slow-roast over flames, because her heart would be done for.  But, even taking all that into account, wouldn’t it be just as bad to have the opportunity to have an affair with a man she’d wanted forever and _not_ take it? Wouldn’t that do as much hellish harm, if not more?      

Oliver massaged her thigh slowly up and down, strong fingers kneading her rapidly heating flesh. Felicity swallowed a moan and silently chanted a dozen curse words.  Glancing at his profile, her pulse skyrocketed.  _Lord, look at him. He’s handsome and wonderful and perfect and I’ve been in love with him as long as I can remember. I have to have him, no matter what. But how am I going to do this? How can I have him and not lose everything when he leaves me?_

She had to figure out a way to keep things under control.  She had to figure out a way to protect herself from emotional annihilation. Because that’s what Oliver Queen was going to do to her…he was going to utterly destroy her heart.

 ...

Oliver was getting nervous.  Felicity hadn’t spoken a word since they got in the truck, and that wasn’t like her. Felicity talked. A lot.  That much had never escaped his attention.

Being able to touch her here, now – to run his hand across her thigh in anticipation as they drove to his home – was heavenly.  But would she allow anything else to happen tonight? She was obviously thinking, and her wild notions hadn’t worked out well for him in the past. At least not this past week.

Felicity had set out to punish him on Monday, but what amazed Oliver last night – after he’d cursed and grumbled and bellyached to himself for hours – was _how_ she’d chosen to punish him. After all, the woman had full control of his work computer and complete access to all his credit cards. If she’d wanted to, she could have made his life a living hell. 

But that wasn’t what she did. No, Felicity’s great plan of revenge was to take him to a park and a few bars, to dance with him and laugh with him and play with him.  And to hold his hand and hug him and kiss him – but only once a day, because she was just as bad as he was when they had their arms around each other; they could barely stop once they’d started.

He peered over at her, watching the side of her face for a brief moment as she stared pensively out of the window.  He wanted her tonight, but he also wanted to just be with her, to just be in her presence. Oliver knew exactly what it felt like to be with a cruel woman, and this definitely wasn’t it. The woman sitting beside him was incredible and kind and intelligent and warm, and taking her home with him tonight felt right on a thousand different levels.  So he squeezed onto her thigh, enjoying this little taste of her body, and smiled to himself as he drove.

Eventually, Oliver turned his truck onto the familiar streets of his neighborhood and then pulled into the driveway of the single-story house he’d constructed the moment his business began turning profits.  A four-thousand-square-foot angular dream, situated on two acres of land in West Starling, his home provided privacy and convenience and more than a little stately beauty, if he did say so himself.  Felicity had been here before, on different occasions, dropping off dry cleaning or picking up paperwork.  She’d always admired his creation, and her praise had pleased him to no end. He realized, right at this moment, that Felicity’s praise had always meant more to him than it should have, more than what befitted a boss-employee relationship.

So now here he sat, suddenly nervous for her to see it, hopeful that she might look at it with different eyes.  Tonight, he wanted her to admire his home for a whole new set of reasons. To possibly even picture herself living here one day. 

Oliver turned off the truck’s engine and hopped out, walking around the front. He opened her door, holding his hand out to help her down.  Her smaller fingers curled into his, and when her feet hit the ground he leaned in to kiss her.  Felicity turned her face up, eagerly smoothing her lips over his.  Oliver took it as a good sign.  He kept hold of her hand as they walked up the driveway.

When they arrived at the front porch, he released her to open the lock. Lagging behind as she walked through the front door, Oliver observed her reaction.  Felicity stepped silently into the living room, glancing over his sparse furnishings – the white leather couch and loveseat, the black stone coffee and end tables.  He closed the door and threw his keys on the granite kitchen countertop as Felicity looked out of the double glass doors and into his backyard. 

He watched her for a long minute, enjoying the sight of her in his home.  She kept staring outside, looking utterly lost in thought. Oliver stepped up behind her, careful not to startle her as he eased his hands across her bare arms. “Felicity,” he hummed beside her cheek, loving the way her name rolled off his tongue, the way it sounded to his ears. “What are you looking at?”

She relaxed immediately into his embrace.  “Just the big, beautiful yard, the stars in the sky.  It’s so peaceful here.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

He pulled her back against his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head, breathing in. Wildflowers.  Her scent.  Soon it would be all over his house, his bedroom, his sheets.  He wanted that.  Wanted to wake in the morning with her hair spread out on the pillow beside him, with that scent filling his mind before he could think about anything else.

Oliver turned her around, needing to look into those sparkling baby-blues, needing to kiss her, to touch her.  But when she glanced up at him, he watched her eyes fill with unmistakable uncertainty. Her hesitance struck him and he sighed. “Felicity, have you changed your mind about this?  I don’t want you to worry about it, if you have.  I’ll understand if it’s too soon.”

“Haven’t changed my mind,” she stated with a firm headshake.  “And we’ve known each other for six years, so I think we can forego the too-soon guilt.”

He chuckled. “Alright.”  He bent down to kiss her, but she pulled back.

She placed a hand on his chest, fiddling with his shirt pocket.  “I haven’t changed my mind, but we need to talk first.”

“About what?”

“About Isabel.”

Oliver’s shoulders fell as he huffed out a breath.  “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. I need to know what happened between you. So I am asking you, right now, to please, please tell me.”

“I…” he attempted to form words, without success.  He couldn’t believe Felicity was bringing this up again.  He didn’t want to discuss his wretched ex, and he certainly wasn’t about to revisit past relationship mistakes, especially ones that horrific. And definitely not now, when all he wanted was to throw Felicity on his bed and have the best sleepless night of his life.  “What happened doesn’t matter anymore.  It’s over.”

“It _does_ matter.  I can see that you still have feelings for her.”

Oliver inhaled sharply as he reached for her, steadying his stubborn secretary’s face in his hands. “Felicity, I’m going to say this one more time, and _please_ hear me. I.  Don’t.  Want. Isabel.”

She watched his eyes as he spoke, her gaze shifting behind her glasses, as she seemed to search for something deep within him.  He could tell she didn’t believe him.  But what the hell else could he do to convince her?  He’d said the words, plain and simple. 

All he had left was to show her that she was the only woman on his mind.

Banding both arms around her waist, Oliver pinned her to his chest and bent down to taste her bright pink lips.  He half expected her to reject him, but instead she responded instantly, her arms circling his neck, her body pressing closer still. “You’re so beautiful,” he whispered against her mouth, his hands easing beneath her shirt to smooth up her spine. “So beautiful.”

Her bra clasp came undone with a well-placed flick of his fingers.  Unencumbered, Oliver ran his hands down the length of her back, from her soft shoulders to the perfect little indentations above her hips, over and over again, until her breathing turned to short puffs against his neck. Then he hooked his fingers inside the waist of her jeans, eager to rid her of her clothing, as he kissed his way down her throat.  “God, I want you so much, Felicity.”

She trembled with his words. “I want you too, Oliver, and I want this, but…but we need to put some boundaries on it.”

He traced her neck with his tongue, tasting the salt of her skin.  “What boundaries do you need, sweet Felicity?”

She swallowed audibly. “Three weeks.  Three weeks and I’m leaving.”

“I already know you’re leaving work,” he mumbled against her ear as he nibbled, “I promise I won’t try to convince you otherwise.”

“No, that’s not what I mean. In three weeks, I will leave.”

He stopped moving, stopped nibbling, stopped kissing.  “Meaning?”

“Meaning we can have a good old-fashioned affair, but when I leave work, that’s it.”

Oliver pulled back, unable to believe his ears as he looked into her eyes.  “Wait a minute, here.  Are you saying what I think you’re saying?  Do you just want to have an affair with me?”

“Yes.”

“And that’s it?”

Felicity blinked several times but held her ground.  “Yes.”

“You mean for now.”

“No, not just for now.”

He stepped back, releasing her body as he continued staring her down.  Was she serious?  Was she actually _serious_?  From the look on her face, he could tell she was. Holy hell, what did he have to do to get this woman to stop playing games?  Yes, he did tell her earlier that he’d play anything she wanted, but he didn’t think she’d actually take him up on it! 

He forced a deep breath into his lungs.  “I thought you were done punishing me.”

“I am done. I promise you, I’m done.”

Oliver couldn’t understand how she could say that to him, because this sure as hell didn’t feel like she was done.  He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together as he watched her, his hand twitching with the need to touch her. Damn it, why wouldn’t she just be with him?  Why did she have to make things so complicated?  He swore she could make Gandhi and Mother Teresa get into a fistfight over who won the privilege of choking her. 

But how in the hell could he say no when his entire body ached for her?

“You must realize that this still feels a lot like punishment, Felicity.”

She stepped forward, closing the distance he’d put between them as she looked up to his face. “It’s not, Oliver; I swear. I promise I won’t punish you anymore. I mean, unless you like that sort of thing.”  She stopped talking, her eyes widening.  “I didn’t mean that the way it came out, I just…”

Her mouth clamped shut. Then she sighed and shook her head. “Oh, who am I kidding right now? I meant that _exactly_ the way it came out.  If you like that sort of thing, I could totally be talked into it. I mean, I don’t know about that whole handcuffs-and-whips scenario, and I’m not really sure about wearing one of those crotch-less leather cat suits – they always seem like they might chafe a bit – but if that’s what you imagine, I’m not going to judge.  I actually have a very active imagination. And so many fantasies, I can’t even begin to…”

“Felicity!”

She ceased rambling and grimaced.  “Sorry,” she offered, her voice barely above a whisper.  “It’s just…I want you, Oliver.  Obviously. And I think I can safely say that you want me, too.”

A strangled groan left his throat.

Her eyes darted to his. “But first, I need you to agree to my limits.  Please.”

He stood in place, just staring at her, searching for answers.  There had to be some explanation for this – something, somewhere. Felicity was not a cruel woman, so there must be a semi-logical reason behind this ridiculous request to keep their relationship at affair-level.  And Oliver believed he could figure it out because…he knew her. He’d been with Felicity for six years, and he just knew her.  He remembered watching her when she’d stepped into his office Monday morning, when she’d been working up the courage to resign.  At the time, he hadn’t known exactly what was going on in her mind, but he still knew that she was a wreck. 

Yes, he knew Felicity...and he knew her affair-decision had to have a reason.  So he searched for it.  He searched her pale blue eyes for an eternity.  And then he finally found what he was looking for:  a distinct flicker of fear beneath her palpable temptation. 

In that moment, Oliver realized the truth.  In that moment, he understood.

_Felicity is terrified._

Whatever pain she’d suffered in her past, whatever that damn ex-boyfriend had done to her, _he_ was the one paying for it.  Her huge heart – the one that had taken care of him in a million ways over the six years they’d been together – was still tender and aching, and she was simply terrified of letting him too far inside.

With this knowledge, Oliver came to an unfortunate realization:  he wasn’t going to be able to change her mind about this three-week nonsense, at least not right now.  And, even though he was willing to work his ass off to prove that they could be perfect together, he wouldn’t get the chance unless he gave in to her demands.

Felicity’s green-painted fingernails dug into her skin as she clenched her hands together. “I need you to agree to this, please,” she repeated, her entreating eyes fixed on his.

As much as it pained him physically, Oliver shook his head.  “Maybe this isn’t a good idea tonight, Felicity.  Maybe you just need time to think this through and…”

“No,” she stated, reaching up to run her hand across his jaw. 

He tried to ignore the way his body leaned automatically into her touch, the way his skin caught fire beneath her fingertips.

“No more waiting, Oliver. I’m absolutely positive that I want this and I’m absolutely positive that I don’t want to wait. I just need you to say yes. Say that we’ll enjoy my last three weeks to their fullest, and then we’ll walk away, no strings attached. Okay?”

Oliver sighed with her words, with the understanding that Felicity still needed the safety net of her games, and that he needed to play by her rules until he could convince her that they would both win just by being together.  Momentarily defeated, he nodded his head.  “Okay. I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Oh, good. Good.  I mean, that’s great, really.  Although we should probably discuss…”

“Felicity?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but please just shut up for now.”

Her brow arched in defiance and she opened her mouth…but then closed it again.  She nodded her silent agreement, and for a long moment they just stood there, staring at each other.  Oliver was afraid to move, afraid he would startle her and she would run for the hills.

After what felt like forever, Felicity finally gave him a little smile and reached up to draw her glasses off her nose.  “No,” he said, stopping her movement.  “Let me do it. Please.”

She nodded and let her arms fall back to her sides.  Oliver edged forward, reaching to her face, pulling the glasses slowly away as she watched him. Gently folding up the frames, he set them down on the table beside the couch.  Then he turned back to her.

Felicity glanced at his lips before looking up into his eyes.  She inched forward to place both her hands on his hips, and Oliver sucked in a breath. Grabbing hold of the hem of his shirt, Felicity balled the fabric in her slender fingers and inched it upward. He tried to assist her, to help her ease his shirt up slowly, but then he simply lost patience. He grabbed hold of the material and flipped it over his head, dropping it onto the floor.

Felicity sighed at the sight of his bared skin, her hips coming flush with his as she rested her palms on his chest.  She splayed her fingers out, her hands soft and cool against the heat of his body. Bending her head down, she trailed kisses across his collarbone and up his neck, finally ending at his lips. He leaned in to kiss her and her tongue darted into his mouth, teasing and tasting.  She giggled and shivers ran down Oliver’s back. He straightened, just slightly, to look down into her smiling eyes.

Fairly certain that she wasn’t planning to dash away from him right this minute, Oliver became overwhelmed by the need to fulfill the one fantasy he’d had way more times than he should this week.  Reaching for her ponytail, he grasped onto her hair tie and slowly pulled it out, freeing her copious blond locks.  The golden hair fell against her back and Oliver pushed both hands up to run his fingers through to her scalp. Felicity’s forehead fell onto his shoulder, her eyelids closing while she hummed softly in response to his ministrations. 

Touching her like this felt intimate and sensual, heightening his desire for her to near ridiculous proportions.  He didn’t know if it was the revelation of finally having her in his arms after six years in her orbit, or the understanding that she only meant for this to be a brief affair between them, but his need for her burned hotter and wilder than he ever thought possible.  When Felicity nestled further into his bare chest, the enticing sound of her responsive mewls threatened to finish him off way too prematurely.  Oliver really didn’t want to rush their first time together, but according to his body he wasn’t going to have much of a choice.

He needed to see her, all of her, now.  Grasping her face in both hands, he eased her head back up so he could look at her. He waited until she opened her eyes to half-mast and peered up at him once again.  His sweet little sprite looked blissful, almost drugged, and he watched her lips in breathless anticipation as she rewarded him with a slow, seductive grin.

Forcing himself to let go of her face, he reached down to grab the hem of her shirt with both fists, edging the pink tee up.  Felicity did her best to stare him in the eye as she raised her arms above her head. The curve of her lips was both an invitation and a dare and he didn’t recall exactly how he got her shirt and bra off simultaneously.  He only knew that his mouth was meant to be at her breast, his tongue wrapped around her nipple, his ears filled with the sound of her whimpered moans. He paid proper attention to each breast in turn, until her fingernails dug into his shoulders and her legs swayed.

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her closer, keeping her upright as his mouth moved up her chest. Unable to resist, he nipped at the skin over her shoulder, curious to see if she would make the same sexy noise she did before, back on her office desk.  Sure enough, a strangled, impassioned scream left her throat. The woman enjoyed being bitten. Oliver smiled against her collarbone, loving the knowledge he’d gained.  He just hadn’t counted on the frenzy it would create. 

One minute he was discovering her little secrets, the next minute Felicity was groping him like a rabid animal.  She managed to kick off her shoes and wriggle free of her jeans and tiny red lace panties before he had the ability to relish the sight.  Her mouth stayed fixed to his as her hands frantically popped the button on his pants and yanked down the zipper.  Her fingers curled so quickly around his jutting erection that he barely registered what had happened. 

But the coolness of her skillful hand against his hot, tight flesh made it very clear that he needed to get to his damn nightstand and get those condoms out before he lost it like an untried teenager.  He dragged her body closer, agonizingly aware of all the ways her bare skin touched his. Without warning, Felicity jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, arms around his neck, teeth nipping against his jaw.  His fingers dug into her bare ass, pulling her up harder against him as she groaned into his mouth.

Oliver took off running. Well, if fumbling through his living room – pants half off, balancing her against his chest, with the hardest erection he’d ever had in his life poking her in the stomach – could be called “running”.  More thankful than ever that he’d built a single-story house, he made it into his room and tossed her onto his high-backed, four-poster bed.  She went down in a heap of arms and legs and laughter and he’d never seen anything sexier in his life than his secretary, naked as a jaybird, giddily sprawled out on his steel blue comforter.

He kicked his jeans, underwear, shoes, and socks into a pile and then jerked the handle on his bedside table so hard that the drawer popped out and crashed onto the floor. Felicity laughed harder while he cursed and fumbled on the ground for a precious gold packet. He’d never felt more successful in his life than when he’d gotten the damn thing open and on.

Oliver turned back to the bed, expecting Felicity to be lying in wait.  He should have known she was never what he expected.

Felicity stood on the mattress, pacing back and forth over a few square feet.  “Come and get me,” she said, her voice husky and entrancing.

“Are we wrestling?” he questioned as he climbed up to stand in front of her, wondering if his king-sized mattress allowed enough room for her intentions.

“I don’t know if you’d want that.”  She edged closer to the head of the bed.  “I’d take you down pretty hard and I’d hate to burst your ego.”

“Something’s going to burst; I don’t know if it’s my ego.” 

Felicity grinned as she flattened her back against the tall mahogany headboard, her body stilling as he advanced.  Oliver aligned himself with her, pressing her against the smoothly polished wood. He brought his mouth down and nipped at her lip.  “That was easy. I thought you would put up more of a fight.”

“Who’s fighting?” she purred. “I just want you the way I want you. Now get down on your knees.”

Oliver stared into her eyes. He’d never seen them brighter – mischief and seduction wrapped into one.  He didn’t argue.  He dropped to his knees before her. 

Felicity smiled, simultaneously wicked and gleeful.  Then she slid down the headboard and lodged herself on him, his erection gliding into her with smooth, delicious ease.  She cried out when she’d settled fully onto him, and then wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him in farther still. 

She was hot and tight and wet and perfect and Oliver bit into her shoulder to keep from losing his mind. He heard her make that insane, yes-please-bite-me noise again as her head flattened back. Her gold hair splayed out in every direction, a stark contrast to the mahogany wood bedframe. 

Oliver couldn’t wait another second.  He drove into her, over and over, pounding her against his headboard, watching her hair shake around her face and shoulders, watching her eyes roll back in her head, hearing the growls and groans escaping her throat.  He held on for dear life until she panted and moaned in time with his thrusts, babbling words he didn’t quite understand, until they both came so hard he didn’t know where her screams ended and his began. 

Instantly spent, Felicity became a boneless mass of damp skin and ticklish hair.  She slumped forward, forcing Oliver to collapse back onto the mattress.  She jostled on top of him when they landed together, but she didn’t bother to move. Her hair covered his face and he reached out to gather the wild curls in his hands, brushing them down her back as he traced the long, straight line of her spine.  He loved having her breasts crushed to his chest, her arms and legs draped across him, her still-rapid breaths warming his shoulder.

“Felicity, you’re amazing.”

She sighed dreamily. “I always wanted to be nailed against that headboard.”

Oliver’s brow furrowed. “Do you mean…this particular headboard?”

Her recently floppy hands balled up tightly.  “Um, no, not _this_ headboard, of course. I just, I mean, um, headboards in general.  Got a thing for headboards.” 

He considered her answer. “When was the last time you were in my bedroom?”

Now her entire body stiffened. “I guess a few months ago maybe? I can’t remember…I was probably bringing in your dry cleaning.”  She sat up.

“Hey, wait,” he complained, hands reaching for her arms.  “Where are you going?  I like you laying on me.”

She exhaled. “I just need to go to the bathroom, clean up a bit.”

“Oh, of course. You can use the one in here; I’ll go to the one in the hall.  But then you’ll come back to bed, right?”

Felicity nodded. “Yes, I’ll come back.”

“Good. Because I’m nowhere near done with you.”

 ...

A/N:  Hey lovely people, so glad you're still here with me!  I hope you are on board with the whole three-week plan of Felicity's...seriously, if these two didn't have a time limit, they'd never get their sh*t together!  I really hope you liked the sexy-times, and if you did, yay!!  Smut high-five!!  Give me a shout to let me know what you think :)  Up next...Chapter 9:  Prisoners and Promises


	9. Prisoners and Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovely people! Thank you, once again, for all your wonderful comments and especially for the smut high-fives :). I appreciate everything!

_Holy crap, what have you done?_ Felicity stared at her reflection in Oliver’s bathroom mirror. _Have you lost your mind utterly, completely, and without reserve?_

“Gee, Oliver, I always wanted to be nailed against your headboard,” she mocked herself in a low whisper. _Stupid, Felicity!  Why don’t you just tell him you’ve wanted to jump his bones daily for the last six years? I bet that’ll go over nicely._

And, as if that verbal gaff wasn’t bad enough, she was pretty sure she’d babbled that she loved him while he was pounding her mercilessly into the wood bedframe. Thank goodness she’d been unable to form any clear pattern of words that he could have possibly understood. _For the love of all that’s good, why don’t you just cut out your heart, wrap it with a bow, and hand it over to him?  It’ll save you all the worry!_

Brushing disheveled hair back from her face, she continued looking into his mirror...but she didn’t see her reflection anymore.  Instead, she saw a younger Felicity, staring longingly into Cooper’s big, earnest eyes. Caitlin said Oliver wasn’t Cooper, but the connection was just so difficult for Felicity to sever.

Years ago, after watching Oliver take Isabel back for the fourth time just since she’d known him, Felicity accepted the fact that she could never have a relationship with her boss because he would always belong to another woman. Within weeks, she’d met Cooper. He was the perfect substitute – smart and successful – the complete Oliver-package.  He even came equipped with his own Isabel, a beautiful ex named Kendra. The only difference was Kendra and Cooper had been on-again/off-again for only a few years, as opposed to the decade or more that Oliver and Isabel had.  Cooper swore up and down that he was over Kendra, and Felicity believed him because she wanted to.  She thought Cooper was The One.

Kendra and Cooper were married now. The afternoon Felicity came home early from work and found them in her bed was one of the worst days of her life. Of course, it didn’t help that it reminded her of the other worst day of her life, when her parent’s marriage had ended the same way.  Donna Smoak had come home to find her husband in bed with their next-door neighbor. Felicity and her sister Emma were just kids at the time, but they were old enough to realize their lives would never be the same again.  And definitely old enough to watch their mother struggle afterwards, working 60-hour weeks to put food on the table after their father disappeared completely.

When Cooper devastated Felicity so similarly to the way her mother had been nearly destroyed, Felicity knew she had to become stronger, to become the independent woman she’d always strived to be.  Going back to school, starting her business, becoming her own boss…those accomplishments got her back on track.  She couldn’t go backwards; she couldn’t repeat her mistakes.  She couldn’t just hand her heart over to a man who belonged to another woman.

Felicity didn’t _want_ to feel this way; she didn’t want to let fear rule her life, and she knew Oliver kept saying he didn’t want Isabel anymore.  But when she’d asked him, point blank, to tell her what had happened between them, he wouldn’t. He refused to confide in her, refused to open himself up.  Yes, he’d been a bit different this past week; he’d laughed with her and played with her and said all the right words, but underneath it all she feared he was still the same marble column she’d worked beside for the past six years.

Felicity shut her eyes tight against the pain in her chest.  She wished Oliver had changed.  She wanted so badly for him to be open with her, to be willing to love her. But he wasn’t, and she just couldn’t bear the thought of offering him her heart when he obviously had no intention of offering his in return.  

She’d worked hard to create a new life for herself in her little Pooch Palace, and she needed to embrace that future. To give herself a chance at happiness. To give herself a chance at real love, someday. And unfortunately, devastatingly, Oliver just wasn’t capable of giving that to her, no matter how much she wished otherwise.

Leaning over the sink, Felicity rested her forehead against the mirror.  She breathed in.  Oliver’s scent lingered all over her.  She could still feel him – his hot skin, his slick tongue, his sculpted fingers. She wanted him again. And again.  Didn’t she deserve that?  After six years as his faithful servant, didn’t she deserve just a bit of fantasy-fulfillment?  And if Oliver wanted her as well, and she’d been upfront with him about her intentions, and he’d agreed to a limited, no-strings-attached affair, then didn’t that make it okay for both of them?

Pulling back, Felicity focused on her reflection.  “The three-week agreement is good,” she whispered.  “You’re both adults, and you both know where you stand.  You can do this, Smoak.  Just fulfill all the fantasies you can, and don’t fall in love with him any more than you already are, and then walk away in three weeks with your heart still intact.  That’s all possible. It really is.”

Her reflection didn’t look as certain as she wanted it to, but it would have to be. Because Oliver waited for her on the other side of the door – waited to do wonderful, horrible things to her – and a pack of wild dogs couldn’t drag her away.  Not when the man she’d wanted for six years currently wanted her back.

Felicity finally turned away from the mirror and took a deep, calming breath.  She closed her eyes and pictured her boss’s face as he’d stalked her across the mattress earlier.  Getting nailed against that headboard was only one of her multitudinous fantasies about Oliver Queen.  Felicity was ready to fulfill more.  A lot more.

Settling her nerves, she cracked open the bathroom door, immediately searching for him. She wondered what Oliver had occupied himself with while she’d been busy fretting in the bathroom. Neat freak that he was, he might’ve made the bed or folded and sorted their clothes into lights and darks.

The room was shadowed, illuminated only by the light coming from behind her.  When her eyes accustomed to the dimness, Felicity spotted Oliver lying in wait for her on the bed.  Clothes still lay strewn about the floor, bed sheets still sat rumpled beneath his body. And by “his body” she meant his perfectly hard, definitively muscled, gorgeously naked body, with 12-pack abs (was that even possible?) worthy of any self-respecting Greek god.

His head was propped up on a pillow, his eyes pinned onto her.  Felicity bit into her lip and Oliver watched the movement with harrowing intensity. He looked like he would attack her at any moment.  But, despite the transparency of his desire, Felicity still couldn’t help the little frizzle of shyness that crept into her bones.  She made sure to shut off the bathroom light, shrouding her features, before heading back to the bed.

His voice came, deep and certain, out of the darkness.  “Wait.” He clicked on the bedside lamp. “I want to see you.”

Felicity stopped halfway to him.

Oliver sat up, his gaze roaming over her bared body.  She tried not to fidget as he lingered on each and every curve.  He cleared his throat.  “Turn around, please.”

Felicity didn’t hesitate. She pivoted and stared at the wall for a long moment, until she couldn’t stand it anymore.  She peeked over her shoulder, anxious to see his reaction. If devouring her with his eyes was possible, Felicity was certain she would have huge chunks missing from her backside. Laughter burst from her throat as she turned and finished walking back to the bed.

Oliver caught her eyes as she reached the mattress.  “Damn, you’re gorgeous.” 

“Thank you. But just don’t ask me to dance naked, because then you’ll see where all my jiggly parts are.”

A smile curved his lips. “I like your jiggly parts. Feel free to dance anytime.”

“Um, no. Sorry.”  She returned his grin as she crawled in beside him. Oliver dropped back against the mattress and Felicity immediately took the opportunity to snuggle into the crook of his arm and lay her head on his shoulder.  His body was hot against her skin, his spicy scent renewed with his closeness. “Well, maybe,” she reconsidered.

“You’ll dance naked for me?”

“I said maybe. Some day.”

“I’ll take that as a promise.”

Felicity wriggled closer, curling her leg around one of his and resting her arm on his chest. Oliver took hold of her hand, playing with her fingers, lacing them together.  “I wish we’d done this a long time ago,” he said, the deep timber of his voice reverberating through his chest and into hers.  “Too bad the office setting doesn’t provide much in the way of romance.”

She giggled at his apparent innocence.  “Are you serious? Office romances are the norm, Oliver. If you and I had been laid out on your desk every day for the past six years, it would be par for the course.”

“Really?”

“Really. Right now, Lyla from Engineering and Diggle from Accounting are going at it like rabbits.  Roy walked in on them in the employee lounge the other day and then hollered about it for an hour.  Didn’t you find out about that?”

“Wow…no.”

“And I’m sure Tommy and Laurel have defiled that office in every possible way.”

Oliver reared his head back and Felicity tilted her face to his.  The look in his eyes was akin to terror.  “ _No_.  No, they wouldn’t.  Tommy wouldn’t do that in our office.”

“Oh my gosh, are you gullible or just not adventurous?” 

“ _Adventurous_?  Let’s talk sanitary!”

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s not sanitary at all.”

Oliver shook his head. “That does it; tomorrow I’m hiring one of those CSI cleaning crews to come in and wash down the entire building. Using special equipment and black lights.”

Felicity rested her chin on his chest and laughed.  “You’re such a germaphobe.”

“Yes that, and I just don’t see how having sex in an office is appropriate.  I mean, that’s supposed to be a place of work. _My_ work.”

She smoothed her fingers across his hand as she looked up at him.  “Funny, I don’t remember that being an issue for you on _my_ desk a few hours ago.”

“I…” he began, his brow furrowing, “I think that was different.”

“Yeah? How so?”

“Because it was the heat of the moment.  And because you and I were the only people there.  And, in case you didn’t notice, I did stop us.  Because office sex simply isn’t appropriate.”

She rolled her eyes. “Appropriate-shmopriate. It’s fun and sexy and dangerous. It’s the allure of maybe getting caught at any minute but wanting that person so much you’d risk anything to have them _right there_. It’s completely and utterly inappropriate, and wonderful.”

“Hmm,” he considered, running his free hand through her hair.  “It sounds like something you’re particularly interested in.”

Felicity opened her mouth, and then closed it again.  She buried her face in his neck.

“Wait, unless…have you already had sex in our office, Felicity?”

She maintained her hiding place, recalling a thousand fantasies of Oliver taking her in various and sundry places all around Arrow Architecture.  Including on the copy machine, which honestly didn’t sound comfortable at all.

He shook her gently. “Come on, you have to tell me.”

She mumbled into his shoulder.

“What was that?”

Felicity raised her head. “I said, ‘Never.’”

Relief washed over his face. “Never, huh?  Well, who’s the non-adventurous one now?”

“I am adventurous! At least, in my mind. Maybe I haven’t actually done it in the office, but I have had some awesome daydreams.”

“I see. Any in the past few days? Any involving me?”

She pressed her lips shut as heat crept into her cheeks.

Oliver ran his hand down her arm.  “I’m going to take your silence, and that beautiful little blush of yours, as admissions of guilt. Unless you care to divulge some of your fantasies?”

 _No frickin’ way_.  Stretching, she faked a yawn.  “Wow, look at the time. I should get some shuteye. I have to be at work early. My boss is a real slave driver.”

He chuckled. “Don’t I know it.”

Felicity tried not to look overly relieved by the change of topic.  She settled back into the space between his arm and his chest, a space that felt made to fit her.  Content to lounge here indefinitely, she startled with a simple realization. “Oh, darn it.  I don’t have my car here.  It’s back at the Palace.”  She propped up on her elbow, staring down at him.

Oliver looked utterly unconcerned.  “Um-hmm.”

“That means we have to go now.”

“Why does it mean that?”

“Because I need my car to get back to my apartment so I can get dressed for work in the morning. I can’t exactly wear my pink Pooch tee to the office.”

“Why not? You’d look adorable.”

“Yeah, not so much. I need to go home, Oliver.”

He smiled, pushing a curl behind her ear.  “Then you can take my car…in the morning.”

“I don’t drive stick.”

“The truck is stick; the car is automatic.”

Felicity’s brow arched. “Are you suggesting I drive your Mercedes to work?”

“Sure. I can drive the truck.”

“I think you’re missing the point here.  Can you imagine what would happen if I rolled up to work in the morning in your Mercedes – in front of all our coworkers?”

He grinned, looking far too pleased with himself.  “Tell me what would happen.”

“Well, for starters, no one would get any work done _all day_. Including me, since I wouldn’t be able to hear myself think above the roar of gossip.  And then, of course, I’d spend half the day in the Emergency Room because Laurel would have had a _heart_ _attack_.”

“She’s young and healthy. They’d revive her.”

“Oliver!”

“Seriously, Felicity, just tell them it’s none of their business.”

“Easy for you to say, Mr. I-Stay-Alone-In-My-Office-Behind-A-Closed-Door-All-Day. People talk to me. A lot.  I’ve managed to work there for six years without being the brunt of any major gossip, and I’d like to leave with that accomplishment intact.”

Oliver exhaled. “Fine.  If you won’t drive my car to work, you can leave a few minutes early in the morning, drive to the Pooch Palace, leave the Mercedes there, take your Bug home so you can change, and drive that to work.  Then tomorrow evening, after everyone has left, we’ll swing by the Pooch Palace in your car to pick up mine.”

“That is incredibly complicated.”

“It’ll work out.”

“Or you could just drive me back now.”

“No.”

Felicity smiled despite herself.  “Let me get this straight.  Am I to understand that I am being held prisoner in your bed until morning?”

“Yes, that’s correct.  Not that I have any handcuffs or whips lying around to enforce it.  And, oddly enough, I’m fresh out of crotch-less leather cat suits.”

She hung her head.  “Oh, God, I was hoping you didn’t remember me saying any of that.”

“Didn’t remember?  I was like an hour ago, Felicity.  And even if it was a year ago, I still think I’d remember that one.”

“I know, I know it was bad, I just…I always hoped you zoned out whenever I went into babble-mode.”

Oliver reached his hand to her chin, drawing her face up until he could look into her eyes again.  “I would never zone out during babble-mode.  It’s one of my favorite Felicity modes.  I was actually sad, because it seemed you’d gotten over it in the past few years. I really thought you’d completely stopped babbling around me, at least until this past Monday at the restaurant. Then it all came back with a vengeance.”

Heat crept into her cheeks.  “Yeah, sorry about that.  Again. That was a bad day.”

He shrugged.  “Or a good day, depending on how you look at it.  And you should really stop apologizing, because I can assure you I’m not making any apologies for keeping you in this bed tonight.”

“But…you can’t really be serious about holding me prisoner on your mattress.”

“I am absolutely serious.”

“Oliver…”

He arched up, flipped her over onto her back, and propped himself up above her before she could finish her thought.  He smiled mischievously as he looked down into her eyes.  “Felicity, you’ve given me three weeks and I’m taking it.  Every second.  Deal with it.”

She tried not to grin like a six-year-old at Disney World. “Did I ever tell you that you’re really pushy?”

“I prefer authoritative.”

“Okay. You’re very authoritative. In a pushy kind of way.”

“You need to work on your complimenting skills.”

“Ugh! You’re aggravating, too.”

“Then go to sleep and you won’t have to deal with me anymore.”

“That’s exactly what I’ll do,” she said, fighting back her laughter. Lying stiffly beneath him, she shut her eyes tight and tried to calm the wild smile that had taken over her face.

She could hear his deep, slow breaths as he hovered above her, could feel his eyes perusing her naked form.  She felt his head dip down, lips settling against her shoulder. She fought to remain motionless as his tongue traced hot little circles on her skin. 

Felicity cleared her throat.  “Um, can I ask what you’re doing?”

“I thought you were sleeping.”

“I am. I was just curious.”

“Well, I promised myself that, if I ever got you in my bed, I would kiss every inch of your body. Literally.  So here I am.”

Felicity peeked out of one eyelid to watch the top of his head as his lips moved slowly across her shoulder and down her chest.  “When did you promise yourself that, exactly?”

“Tuesday,” he murmured against her breast, “when you wore that tight little red dress in the park.  It revealed too much and not enough, all at the same time.  Amazing, really.”

His mouth hovered over one nipple, tongue teasing and tasting before he sucked the tight bud in. Felicity arched up and shoved her hands into his hair, balling her fists against his scalp.

“Mmm…I don’t mean to disturb you, Miss Smoak.”  His breath cooled her wet skin, sending shivers across her entire body. “Feel free to sleep, as long as you understand I have important business to tend to and cannot possibly stop.”

He blazed a heated trail to the other breast and grasped the nipple between his teeth. Felicity inhaled sharply. “Of course, Mr. Queen. I understand. It’s just like you always say…business first.”

“Exactly, Miss Smoak.”

Felicity shut her eyes again, attempting to minimize her wriggling as his mouth discovered every inch of her skin.  His lips moved farther down, circling across her tummy and over her belly button. He explored the curve of each hip in turn, taking his torturous time, until he finally edged between her knees. The stubble of his jaw scraped deliciously against her inner thigh and Felicity had to fight back a scream because, good Lord, how many times had she fantasized about just that?

She spread her legs, panting with anticipation.  His tongue was hotter than she imagined possible as it delved into her thick, wet folds. Her hips bucked in response and Oliver pressed one strong hand against her stomach to hold her steady while his other hand moved to join his tongue in its lascivious assault on her senses. His fingers pushed inside her, first one and then another, and he hummed against her skin as his mouth performed some sort of sexual miracle on her tight little bundle of nerves.

Felicity squealed in utter, delectable pleasure.

 _Oh, well._   _So much for sleep_.

... 

Felicity had never been this nervous driving before.  But then again, she’d never navigated Starling, pre-dawn and utterly exhausted, in her boss’s Mercedes.  She sighed in relief when she finally reached Pooch Palace.  Tossing Oliver’s keys in her bag, she pulled out her keychain, walked to her Bug, and hopped inside.  She started the car and dialed the phone.

A full minute later, Caitlin’s sleepy voice answered.  “Um-hmm?”

“Hey Cate, did I wake you up?”

“Felicity, it’s not even 6 a.m.”

“Oh, sorry. I can call back later. I just didn’t want you to worry about the car.”

“What car?”

“Oliver’s Mercedes. It’s parked in front of the Palace. He’s going to pick it up this evening. So, that’s it. Go back to sleep.” Felicity heard rustling over the receiver.  “Cate? You still there?”

“Sorry…dropped the phone. Why is Oliver’s car at the Palace?”

“Well, um, yesterday I was there, doing work, and Oliver came back.  He wasn’t mad anymore and he put up shelves in the stockroom and…”

“Holy crap! You slept with him, didn’t you?”

“Hey, I’m not a tramp.”

“So you _didn’t_ sleep with him?”

“No, I slept with him. But you didn’t have to _assume_ that I did.  I mean, all I said was he put up some shelves and you just went right there.”

“Felicity, don’t make me hurt you.  Details, now.”

She stopped at a light, leg wiggling against the brake.  “I can’t remember _all_ the details. There was the first time against the headboard, and then a him-on-top thing, and then the floor – I don’t remember exactly how we ended up there, but he kept telling me I couldn’t leave the bed and I was determined to prove that I could, but then he proved a thing or two to me, let me tell you, and, yeah, sorry, that was probably more detail than you really wanted – and then an hour ago I was trying to leave and I went into the living room to get my glasses and he pinned me down right there on the couch. So…I didn’t really get much sleep.”

“ _Four_ times?”

“Yeah.”

“I haven’t done it four times in a row since Bobby McKinnon on prom night.”

“That’s a teenager for you.”

“And architects, apparently. I might have to get me one of those.”

Felicity sighed. “He’s definitely one of a kind.”

“Oh, honey. I’m so happy for you. You’re finally dating the man of your dreams.”

“Yeah…we’re not dating.”

“ _What_?  What do you mean? I thought your revenge thing was finished.”

“It is, but I can’t date him.”

“Why not?”

She gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white.  “Because I can’t, Cate.  I can’t hurt like that again.  Oliver is still hung up on Isabel.”

“Did he say that?”

“No, of course not. But I’ve spent the last six years watching them together.  Watching the way he takes her back, time and time again.  And he says he’s over her now, but I can tell he isn’t; I see it in the raw reaction he has when I mention her name.  He still has feelings for her and he won’t talk about them and I can’t fight that. I won’t.  I know I’ll lose.” 

Felicity shook her head as she spoke.  “I tried, Cate. I really did.  I flat-out asked him to tell me what happened with her; I practically begged him to open up to me, but he just wouldn’t. And that feels like an insurmountable obstacle.  I mean, even if by some miracle he really has put Isabel behind him, how am I supposed to build a relationship with someone who is that closed off, who simply refuses to let me inside?  I want more than that. I want to be loved by a man who is willing to give me his whole, entire heart.  I’d like to think I deserve that.” 

“Of course you deserve that, Felicity,” Cate said, her voice soft and soothing. “So, what are you going to do now?”

Felicity watched the yellow blobs of streetlamps flash against her windshield as she drove. “I’m going to have a hot, torrid affair with a man I’ve wanted for six years.  I’m going to fulfill as many fantasies as humanly possible, and in three weeks I’m going to walk away, alone, with my head held high.”

Cate sighed. “I’m still not worried about your head.”

Her eyes brimmed with moisture.  “I know, Cate. I know.  Thanks for always looking out for me.”        

“Someone’s got to do it.”

Felicity laughed. “Love you, kiddo.”

“You too. Call if you need more support. But not before seven.”

“’Kay. Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

Felicity hung up the phone. A tear fell onto her cheek and she brushed it away, attempting to concentrate on the well-worn roads between Pooch Palace and her apartment. 

“Don’t get all sentimental,” she chastised her weary heart.  “You have to look at this positively.  How many people get to live out their fantasies for one night, let alone three weeks? You need to count yourself lucky.”

She rounded several more turns before her apartment complex came into view.  Exiting the car, she climbed the stairs and an instant later found herself in the shower with hot water pouring down her skin. Felicity did consider herself lucky for the three weeks to come.  She just had no idea if Oliver would see it the same way in the cold, somber, fluorescent glow of their office lights. 

 ...

 **A/N** : Hope you liked this…love to know your thoughts :)  Up next…Chapter 10: Business First


	10. Business First

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey there, awesome people! Welcome to The Morning After at the office. :)

When Felicity pulled her Bug up in front of Arrow Architecture a few hours later on Monday morning, Oliver’s truck was already parked curbside.  Part of her hoped to see him still in the driver’s seat, but the other part was blissfully happy the truck was empty.  It was probably best that she walked into work alone, and went straight to her office, and pretended that nothing at all was different about today.

After all, no one needed to know she’d spent her night under, over, and around a gorgeous man’s naked body. No one needed to know anything about that. Except for Oliver, of course, who was the owner of said body.  And who may or may not be rethinking all the things that had transpired between them last night…and this morning. 

Felicity swallowed down the lump in her throat as she walked up the stairs and into the building. She managed to get inside, get to her chair, and begin doing her work, without seeing anyone else. In fact, she remained incognito until noon, when Laurel ambled into her office and perched one butt cheek precariously on the edge of her desk. 

“Hey, Felicity. How was your weekend?”

She took a deep breath, reminding herself that no one knew anything.  And that she needed to keep it that way, forever.  “It was okay.  I was working at my other job.”

“You mean the one you’re ditching us for?”

Felicity gave her a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, Laurel. You know we’ll keep in touch after I leave.  Who knows, maybe I can charm you into working for me one day.” 

“Wouldn’t that be a riot? I’d love to see the look on Tommy’s face if I told him I was going to help you babysit dogs...”

Felicity tried to focus on Laurel’s rapidly moving lips, but her mind floated down the hall to the perpetually closed door of her boss.  Her eyes shifted to the clock.  She’d spent all morning in avoidance and denial, but now Felicity had to face the fact that she’d arrived at work nearly four hours ago yet she hadn’t heard a word from Oliver. Not a call.  Not a text.  Nothing.

Laurel paused, staring at her, obviously waiting for an answer to a question.  “Um, we have forty dogs right now,” Felicity replied, hoping the response made sense. 

“Forty! I can’t even imagine...” The perky brunette continued talking, her arms as animated as her voice. 

Felicity managed a smile even though her heart raced.  What was Oliver thinking behind that thick black door of his?  He’d agreed to a lot last night, in the heat of the moment. Did he regret his late-night decisions? Was he worried that their normal boss-secretary relationship would be excruciatingly uncomfortable now? Would their first post-coital office encounter be more awkward than either of them could bear?

 _Business first_.  They’d joked about it in bed last night, but Felicity knew it was absolutely true. Business _did_ come first for Oliver.  In fact, she’d bet he wasn’t nearly as disturbed by the unsanitary practices of his over-sexed staff as he was about the missed hours of work said cavorting entailed. Was he sitting at his desk now, worrying about her clawing all over him during work hours? Maybe even deciding the best way to tell her to keep her paws off of him while they were here in this building?

Felicity took a steadying breath.  Until she knew how he wanted things, she would have to remain professional above all else. She would have to act perfectly normal, as if nothing had changed between them.  She would have to pretend that she did _not_ want the copy machine to take pictures of her bare ass while he plowed into her.

Her phone buzzed and Felicity nearly jumped out of her seat.

“Wow, what’s up with you?” Laurel asked mid-sentence. 

“Sorry. Didn’t get much sleep. Guess I’m a bit edgy.” Felicity pulled her phone out and stared at the message.  From Oliver.

_Meet me in my office ASAP._

“Anything important?”

Felicity looked up at Laurel and forced her stiff shoulders to shrug.  “Just the boss.  He wants to see me for something.”

Laurel rolled her eyes. “Ugh.  Always work, work, work with that one.  It’s no wonder you’re leaving.  If he was my boss, I’d have left a long time ago.”

“Well, I guess I’d better go see what he needs.”

“You look worried, doll. Is he giving you a hard time about quitting?  He can’t do that, you know.  I could have Tommy talk to him.”

“No, no. It’s okay.  I can handle it.”

“You sure? Because you should be able to spend your last three weeks here in peace.”

A garbled sound worked its way into the back of Felicity’s throat.  “Yes, I’m sure.  Thanks, though.”

“Anytime. You just let me know.” Laurel winked as she stood, fluttering out of the door, leaving Felicity to her disconcerting thoughts.

She reached into her purse and grabbed her compact, checking her makeup.  She applied a little blush and added some lip gloss, attempting to enliven her sleepy features.  But nothing would hide the concern in her eyes.

Standing from her chair, Felicity smoothed the thin wrinkles from her ivory pencil skirt and fiddled with the cuffs of her peach silk blouse.  Then she tossed her ponytail over her shoulder, walked around her desk, and made her way down the hall.  The ominous black door stared at her for a long minute before she mustered the nerve to knock.

His deep voice came clearly from the other side.  “Yes?”

With trembling fingers, she turned the knob and entered. 

Oliver sat behind his desk, distinguished and stately in a perfectly tailored black suit, his unyielding eyes business-only. 

“You wanted to see me, Mr. Queen?”

“Yes, Miss Smoak. I need to discuss something with you. Shut the door, please.”

Oliver didn’t smile at all. Not even after she closed the door.

He straightened in his chair. “Come over here, please.”

“Of course,” Felicity said, keeping her tone as formal as possible.  She moved to the front of the massive block of wood he called a desk and then eased around it, her fingers touching the shiny black surface as a small means of support.  She pressed her glasses farther up her nose as Oliver swiveled in his chair to face her. Felicity came to a halt a foot away from him.  “Yes, Mr. Queen?”

He glared, his face unmoving. “I’ve taken some time this morning to think about our…situation.  I need to make a few things perfectly clear.”

“Alright.”

“This is a place of business, Miss Smoak. It is imperative we maintain a professional work relationship while here at this office.”

Felicity grimaced internally. “Of course, Mr. Queen, I would never…”

“Certain things would be wrong for us to do,” he interrupted.

She didn’t know what to say. She focused in on his face, searching for clues.  Then she watched in amazement as his eyes perused her entire body, slowly and sinfully, focusing in on the way her clothes hugged her hips, her breasts.  A moment later his gaze returned to her face, dark with desire.

He spoke again, his voice edged.  “For instance, it would be wrong for me to ask you to pull your skirt up now, while I watched.”

Felicity’s breath caught, her lips parting on a breathy gasp.  _Is he serious?_ Her eyes darted to the closed-but-not-locked door…and then back to her boss.  He wasn’t moving, wasn’t grinning, wasn’t turning away. He stared in expectation.

Felicity wet her lips. Heart pounding in her throat, she reached down to the hem of her skirt and curled her fingers into the fabric, inching it slowly upward.  Oliver tracked every minute movement of her hands, until the skirt lay bunched at her waist.

He walked his chair forward, the leather squeaking beneath his solid body as he reached out to curl his hands around her hips and pull her closer.  With one finger, he traced the laced curve of her panties. Then he hooked the side and eased the tiny scrap of fabric down, until it fell at her feet.

Oliver looked up to her face, eyes filled with hunger.  The chair creaked again as he stood.  He circled her body to come up behind her, his chest pressed to her back, the fabric of his suit pants rubbing against her exposed flesh.  His hands came to her hair, his fingers running the length of her ponytail before brushing it over her shoulder. 

Felicity whimpered as he traced her silk-covered spine with his fingertips, starting at her neck, stopping when he encountered the crumpled fabric of her skirt bunched around her waist. He paused a moment, and then flattened both large hands against her bare ass cheeks.  She pressed her lips together to keep from moaning.

Oliver cupped her flesh as he nuzzled his face beside her ear, hot breaths rapid against her neck. His fingers kneaded, moving farther and farther down.  When he found the slick, wet entrance to her body and pushed two fingers inside, Felicity used all available willpower to suppress a scream. 

She writhed against his hand as he enticed her eager flesh with his fingers, caressing both inside and out. His other arm wrapped around her front, pulling her back onto his chest, his thick erection now prodding her through the fabric of his pants.  Nimble fingers worked open several buttons on her blouse, pushed the fabric aside, pulled her bra down, and rolled her nipple.  Her back arched as she dealt with the overpowering sensations, her head lolling onto his shoulder.  He continued his intent work for long, drawn minutes, and by the time he nibbled up her neck to whisper in her ear, Felicity was mad with need. 

“No matter what, Miss Smoak, I should never ask you to bend over this desk.  That would be very, _very_ wrong.”

A moan escaped her throat. She twisted out of his arms to pin herself onto his desktop, flattening her hands on the smooth, black surface. “Oliver,” she murmured, barely recognizing the husky sound of her voice, “there’s no lock on the door. Anyone could walk in.”

“I know. But sometimes you want someone so much, you’ll risk anything to have them.”

Felicity closed her eyes, vividly recalling the words she’d said to him last night in bed. She remained bent over as she heard him unfasten his belt, pull his zipper down, and open a foil packet. Then it hit her. His ever-present computer wasn’t on his desk.  He had a condom in his pocket.  He’d planned all of this.

She felt the tip of his erection nudging her from behind and she opened her legs further, arching up on her tiptoes inside her black patent leather heels.  She tilted her ass up as high as she could, and heard a feral growl emerge from the back of Oliver’s throat in response.  He grabbed hold of the ample flesh, one ass cheek in each hand, and spread her apart as he sunk into her wet heat in one swift motion, pushing her entire body forward.  Her exposed nipples rubbed against the desktop, adding delicious height to her senses. Oliver withdrew slowly and then thrust back in.  He leaned forward, his hard chest resting against her back for a moment, as he whispered into her ear. “Don’t scream, Miss Smoak.”

She shook her head. “I can’t promise anything, Mr. Queen.”

He chuckled as he stood back up and moved his hands to her hips, squeezing into her flesh to pull her harder against him.  Felicity watched her fingers moving back and forth against the wood surface as he drove into her again and again, the moisture on her palms leaving slick handprints behind.  She stifled her groans as best she could, her breaths coming faster and faster, mimicking his thrusts. She ground down hard against him, amazed and unnerved by how deep and thick he felt inside her.

Felicity knew she couldn’t scream.  She knew the entire staff would come running into Oliver’s office and find her, bare-assed and boobs-out, being pummeled against the desk by her boss.  But when her orgasm hit, she couldn’t remember her own name, let alone where she was. 

The scream overtook her and Oliver reacted instantly, leaning over to clamp his hand around her mouth, pressing his fingers roughly against her lips.  Felicity bit down on his flesh as her entire body convulsed in pure bliss. Oliver came hard inside her, dropping his head onto her back, muffling his groans against her shirt.

Felicity’s muscles twitched as her release continued, as he continued pumping in and out, milking every last sensation from each of their bodies.  Eventually, her hands balled up on the cool desk surface as her thwarted cries of lust turned into contented little moans. She kissed the fingers still covering her mouth.  “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to bite you that hard.”

His hand dropped to the desk. “You bit me?”

She grinned. “I imagine you’ll feel it later.”

Oliver stood and slid out of her.  Slower to rise, Felicity heard him fumbling through his briefcase and turned to see him grab a pack of tissues.  He offered her one, but she shook her head.  Averting her eyes, she repaired the state of her bra and blouse.  _He’s come prepared for everything – even the aftermath cleanup.  And here I was, worried he’d changed his mind about our affair_.

She fished along the ground for her discarded panties, slipping them on and pushing her skirt down. By the time her clothes were in place, Oliver sat in his leather chair, leaning back, looking as if nothing happened.

Felicity stared at him in wonder and astonishment.  “You’re really something.”

“You think?”

“I cannot believe you planned this entire thing.”

He grinned. “Tell me, did I get close?”

“Close to what?”

“Any of your erotic daydreams?”

At a loss for words, Felicity shook her head.

“No? Then I’ll just have to try again.”

“Oliver! You know perfectly well that your office door does not lock!”

He shrugged. “I catch a lot of hell for keeping that door closed all the time, but really, who would dare enter unannounced? I’d say my shut-in behavior is coming in handy right about now.”

Felicity attempted to look appalled but failed.  “Well, you do have a point.”

“Then come back later and we’ll go at it again.  Perhaps I’ll discover your fantasy next time.”

“Excuse me, Mr. One-Track-Mind, but I actually have work to do.”

“Yeah? Like what?  Maybe I could talk to your boss.”

“Certainly! Tell him I am a very busy woman. I mean, on top of all my regular work, I have to hire a new secretary to replace me.”

Oliver pinned her with a deep, intent gaze.  “You’re irreplaceable, Felicity.”

She tried fruitlessly to ignore the shot of warmth that spread through her veins.  “My thoughts exactly!  So you can see what a tough job that’s going to be. And then I also need to make sure everything is on track for the Starling Country Club opening, and of course we still have to pick your car up at the end of the day.”

“I liked having you in my bed last night.”

“You’re not listening to me at all, are you?”

“Will you come home with me again?”

She tossed her ponytail over one shoulder, blowing out a breath.  She struggled to not look directly at him, at the devilishly charming grin spreading his lips or the hunger in his eyes that made her want to strip naked right now. “That depends. Will I get any sleep tonight?”

“I can’t guarantee it.”

“Alright then.”

 ...

Oliver couldn’t stand the wait – the grueling hours between having Felicity on his desk and the moment he would see her again.  But he forged through, making up for lost work time by delving into ingenious thoughts for new structures. Felicity made his juices flow, creative and otherwise.

At 5:20 he stared at his clock, clenching his jaw as his mind leapt again to the amazing woman he’d only begun to really discover.  He already knew one thing for certain…the few moments they’d actually been _together_ together were nowhere near enough for him to learn everything he needed to know about the indomitable Miss Smoak. He was starting to believe an entire lifetime wouldn’t be long enough for what he wanted to experience with her.

Yet she only intended to give him three weeks.

Rubbing a hand across the back of his neck, Oliver sighed.  Felicity had obviously been hurt in the past; she’d had her heart broken and, apparently, it hadn’t mended properly.  She was scared witless about letting him in, and he was terrified that she actually meant to leave him in just a few short weeks.  But how in the hell was he supposed to change her mind?

He hoped that the more fantasies of hers he fulfilled, the more she’d want to stay; it’s why he’d taken her on his desk just a few hours ago.  He fully intended to keep working on every sexual daydream she’d ever had...but he also knew there had to be more to this.  There had to be more he could do, in order to keep her in his life indefinitely. Perhaps even permanently.

 _Permanently? Lord, when did that thought enter my mind?_ He shook his head. He didn’t know when he’d first thought it; he just knew it made perfect sense.  They’d only really been together a few days, but for Oliver it was as if a light had been switched on and he couldn’t imagine turning it off. He knew Felicity would probably be pissed off about it; he was thinking this through logically again and he knew how much she hated that.  But it wasn’t all just logic; that much was certain.  There was something different about Felicity.  There was something different about them.  And he wanted nothing more than to figure out what that something was.

When the clock struck 5:30, Oliver rose from his desk and stepped into the hall, the eerie silence making him acutely aware that the rest of the staff was already gone. He walked toward her office, his mind still heavy with thoughts of this _affair_ she wanted.  But when he arrived in Felicity’s doorway, he watched his sweet little sprite smile up at him from her chair, watched her blue eyes sparkle behind her glasses, watched the light from the window catch the golden strands of her hair, and his heart immediately eased.

“Hey there, Mr. Sunshine,” she sang. “You ready to go get your car?”

Oliver could only stare and nod. “Ready when you are.”

Felicity gathered her things and walked over to him, pushing up on her tiptoes for a quick kiss before brushing past him into the hallway.  God, Oliver wished _someone_ was still here. If any of his employees had witnessed that kiss, they would know he and Felicity were together. He realized, here and now, that he needed that moment to happen.  Such a gossip-worthy revelation was a necessity, because the more people knew about them being a couple, the more real their relationship would seem. And the more real it seemed, the harder he thought it would be for Felicity to just walk away from it when the time came.

Oliver followed close on her heels, down the deserted hall, out the front door, and to her Bug. He opened the driver’s door for her before walking around to slide into the passenger side.

Felicity grinned at him as he folded onto the seat.  “You look awfully adorable all curled up in my little car.”

He fumbled with the seat belt in the cramped space.  “Just how adorable am I?”

“Pretty darn,” she admitted, giggling as she started the engine and pulled into the street.

Oliver watched her profile as she drove, absorbing the almond shape of her eyes, lingering on the little upturn at the tip of her nose, admiring the determined set of her full lips. He hated only having her in fits and spurts, knowing she would only allow this set amount of time for them to be together. He had to figure out how to change her mind. Her wondrous, brilliant, stubborn-as-hell mind.

If their coworkers knew about them, it would be helpful.  But Oliver realized it wouldn’t be enough.  Felicity had to feel so entrenched in his life that she couldn’t imagine leaving. She had to realize that they fit together, in every possible way, and that she _wanted_ to stay with him.  And he had to start making her realize it right now, because there was no time to waste.

Oliver cleared his throat. “You know, we’re still going to have to drive to work together one of these days.”

Her nose crinkled. “Why’s that?”

“Because I’m picking up my Mercedes today, but my truck is still at the office.  At some point, I’ll need to drive to work with you so I can take the truck home.”

“Hmm,” she considered, turning at a stop sign.  “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay, I’ll take you to work tomorrow morning. But we’re going to have to leave super-early so no one sees us arrive together.”

Oliver shrugged. “Fair enough.  Let’s go to your place, then.  You need to pack.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If we’re driving to work together in the morning, you’ll need a change of clothes. And you’ll need a hairdryer and a toothbrush and other such things.  While you’re at it, you may as well gather everything else you need.”

She huffed out a laugh. “Oliver, I’m not moving in with you.”

“For the next three weeks you are.”

Felicity stared at him in disbelief before refocusing on the road.  “Um, no, I’m not.”

“But you said yourself that we’re having an affair.”

“Yes.”

“Well, people live together when they’re having affairs.”

“In what world?”

“In the little world in my head.  Also, I’m pretty sure they did it in England during the reign of the Tudors.”

She peeked at him, her lips trembling to suppress a laugh.  “Oliver…”

“No, don’t say anything else. Three weeks, Felicity. You gave them to me; they’re mine. For three weeks, I want you in my life and in my bed.  All night. Every night.”

She sighed. “At some point, I will need to sleep, you know.”

“You can sleep anytime I’m not having my way with you.”

“If we keep up this pace, I’m going to start walking funny.”

“Are you lodging a complaint? Do you need me to curb my appetite for you?”

Felicity’s slim fingers curved around the steering wheel.  “Nope. I don’t need that.” With a shake of her head, she pulled the car into the left lane to make a U-turn.  “I guess we’re going to my place to pack.”

Oliver looked out of the window and smiled.

 ...

 **A/N:**   Thanks so much for all of your lovely comments throughout this story; I hope you’re having as much fun reading as I am writing :)  Up next…Chapter 11:  Office Distractions


	11. Office Distractions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey lovelies! Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments and words of encouragement and virtual smiles! Hope you will enjoy this entry (and feel free to interpret the word entry in any way you see fit) ;)

Tommy Merlyn sat behind his antique Colonial desk and peered over the piles of paperwork, down the long hallway, to his partner’s closed office door. It was Friday – already an entire week since Felicity announced she was leaving – and guilt ate him up inside. He had to know if he was the reason Felicity quit.

Oliver was his oldest friend.  Sixteen years they’d known each other:  through college, years of architectural study, various girlfriends, and the creation of their amazingly successful business.  Tommy never questioned the decision to enter into a partnership with Oliver; after all, Oliver was the most levelheaded, practical person he’d ever met. And even now, his partner’s designs were more brilliant than ever.  Yet Tommy still worried about him. 

The first time he’d met Oliver’s family was at the end of their sophomore year of undergrad. The Queen house was more like a mansion; Robert Queen wore a coat and tie, Moira Queen a tailored skirt set and exquisite jewelry, even though it was a random Wednesday.  Oliver hadn’t seen his folks for nearly nine months, hadn’t even been home for Christmas that year, and yet all Mr. and Mrs. Queen said was, “Hello.” They asked about the drive. They shook Tommy’s hand. Nothing else.

Tommy couldn’t comprehend living in such a sterile environment.  He’d been home over Christmas break and his mother, Rebecca, slobbered on him so much that it took seven tissues to get her lipstick off his cheeks. Yet Oliver’s parents didn’t even touch their son.  Tommy remembered Oliver confessing once that he’d never heard his parents say, “I love you.”

In a strange way, understanding Oliver’s upbringing made Tommy feel responsible for his friend’s happiness. He wanted to make sure Oliver made the right decisions – that he followed his heart, even if he didn’t exactly know what his heart was saying.  Tommy knew, beyond a doubt, that Isabel Rochev was never the right decision. She was cold, hard, and demanding. He believed Oliver only stayed with her because she felt familiar, and because he didn’t know any better.

But Felicity…she was a different story.  Always had been, from day one.

Tommy knew Oliver had feelings for his vivacious secretary.  Unfortunately, he also knew Oliver didn’t have a clue what those feelings were. He didn’t blame his friend; with Oliver’s upbringing it was amazing he functioned around humans at all. Honestly, the day Tommy suggested Oliver date Felicity, he’d only been looking out for his partner’s best interests. He had no idea he would start a chain of events leading to this:  Felicity leaving, and the potential for Oliver to crumple without her.

Unable to wait another moment, Tommy stood from his desk and marched down the hallway. No matter what the answer, he had to know if he was the one who screwed all this up.  He had to know, because he needed to apologize for falling down on his self-appointed Oliver-heart-protection detail.

Arriving at his friend’s always-closed door, Tommy knocked and waited patiently for a response. None came.  Oliver was probably so wrapped up in work he hadn’t heard a thing. Tommy waited another moment before knocking harder.

“Come in,” Oliver finally replied.

He opened the thick entrance to his partner’s sparsely decorated office.  “Hey, buddy.”

Oliver sat in his chair, elbows leaning on his desk.  He smiled.  “Hi.”

Tommy stepped in.  “Um, have you seen Felicity? Laurel wanted to ask her something.”

“I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.”

“Oh, alright. Well, I guess I’ll let Laurel know.”

“Okay.”

Tommy stood motionless.  By Oliver’s clipped answers, he could tell his partner wasn’t in the mood to chat. But Tommy couldn’t walk away, not without getting a few things off his chest.  “Listen Oliver, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Better than fine, actually.”

“Really? Because you’ve been acting funny.”

“Have I?”

“Yes. It’s Felicity, isn’t it?”

“You could say that.”

“Damn it!  It’s because she’s leaving, isn’t it?  I knew it.” Tommy hung his head. “Buddy, there’s something I have to ask you.”

“What?”

Tommy took a deep breath. “Is it my fault that Felicity is leaving?”

“Why on earth would it be your fault?”

“Because I told you to ask her out.  Did you?”

“Yes.”

“Did it piss her off?”

“Significantly.”

“Aw, man.  I’m sorry. Do you want me to talk to her? To apologize?  Maybe I can tell her it was just me playing awful matchmaker and it wasn’t even your idea.”

“Tommy, you may have planted the seed in my mind, but it was absolutely all my idea to ask Felicity out.  So don’t feel bad about it; her resignation had nothing to do with you.  She said it didn’t even have anything to do with me. She would have left anyway.”

“Really? Huh.  Well, I’m glad, in a way.  I didn’t want to be the cause.  But I’m also sad to hear she’s actually going.  Do you think I could convince her to stay? Or that you could?”

“No. When Felicity makes up her mind about something, she can be quite pigheaded.”

Tommy heard a thud and saw Oliver wince.  “Are you okay, buddy?”

Oliver nodded. “Yeah, I just hit my knee on the desk. Would you excuse me now? I have something I need to do.”

“Oh, sure, I’ll let you get back to work,” Tommy said, already turning away. He knew how protective Oliver got about office hours.  “So, you and me, we’re okay then?”

“Of course, Tommy.”

“Good. And will you tell Felicity that Laurel is looking for her?”

“As soon as I lay eyes on her.”

“Thanks.”

“Anytime.”

Tommy stepped out of the room and shut the door.

 ...

Oliver watched the door close behind his friend and smiled. Pushing his executive chair back, he peered under his desk.  “Laurel is looking for you.”

Felicity exhaled inside the cramped quarters, bare shoulders relaxing. “Holy crap, that was close. Do you think he knew I was under here?”

“No, but it would help if you didn’t smack my leg while I’m trying to act nonchalant.”

“You called me pigheaded!  You deserved worse!”

Oliver laughed as he watched her crawl out, discarded blouse in hand.  He didn’t know anyone else in the world who could pull off such fiery indignation while half-naked on all fours.  She was unlike anything he’d ever seen.  “Well, maybe you shouldn’t have been eavesdropping on our conversation.”

She cleared the desk and sat back on her heels, glaring up at him. “Eavesdropping! I can’t believe you were talking about me when I was right here!”

“Believe me, Felicity, I was well aware of your location. But I’m not the one who stuck you under the desk.  I don’t care if Tommy knows about us.”

“Oliver, my shirt was off!”

“He does have terrible timing.  Another minute and I could have had that sexy, lacy bra of yours off, too. Did I mention I love it when you wear blue lingerie?  It goes so perfectly with your sensational eyes.”

Felicity attempted to look mad as she continued kneeling in front of him, but the anger didn’t last.  She broke into her beautiful smile, the one that buttered his insides. Then she leaned forward, enhancing her cleavage, bouncy blond hair tumbling over the blue lace as she spoke in sultry, honeyed tones.  “Alright then, I’ll admit you’ve mastered complimenting.  But that’s beside the point.  Tommy can’t know about us.”

“Why not?”

She threw her arms up in the air.  “Because! We’ve already gone over this!”

Oliver bent forward, easing his fingers up her cheek.  “I’d be happy if everyone knew.  I’ll go out in the hall right now and shout it out loud. In fact, here I go.” Grinning ear to ear, he started to stand.

Two dainty hands landed on his thighs, pushing him back down into his chair.  “Not so fast, Mr. Queen.”

He settled onto the cool leather again, enjoying himself way too much. “I’m going to do this, Felicity. It’s been five days since we started defiling my office on a daily, sometimes twice-daily, basis. I’d like to start defiling yours.”

“You can’t just start coming into my office!  People will know something is going on!  They’ll want to know what it is!”

“That’s why I plan to announce it ahead of time, so they’ll leave us in peace.”

Felicity looked so damn enchanting, kneeling on the floor and rolling her eyes at him behind her glasses. God, he loved watching her. And he desperately loved living with her.  It had only been a few days of them being together at his home, but he already knew how she liked her breakfast.  And that she refused to eat anything until she’d had exactly three sips of coffee ( _because three is my favorite number and that makes it a good start to the morning, Oliver_ ).  And that she brushed her teeth for ten straight minutes before bed – ten whole, entire minutes – during which time she wandered about the house, humming a little tune in the back of her throat and working up a toothpaste lather so thick that it made her look like a freakishly adorable pirate with a frothy blue goatee.    

He smiled with that image as he watched her now, blowing a hair out of her face and staring up at the ceiling.  He could see the gears in her marvelous brain turning and wondered what he was in for.  When her gaze drifted back to his, a sweet smile spread her lips – so beautiful it caused him physical pain. 

“Why tell people?” she purred. “You’ve already got me. And you’ve already had me, countless times.”

“I can count them.”

“Yes, well,” she continued, moving closer, “I have ways of keeping you silent.”

She crawled into him, edging up to fit her waist between his knees, splaying her hands on his thighs before running them slowly upward to the button on his suit pants. With a quick flick, she undid the closure and then eased down the zipper.  Her eyes darted to his as she ran her tongue across her glistening pink lips.

He grinned. “You can’t distract me from my mission, Miss Smoak.”

“Can’t I?” she questioned, freeing his stiff erection to her exploring fingers.

Oliver focused on the sexy-as-hell sight of Felicity on her knees, staring up innocently at him as she grasped him in her hand.  Damn, he’d already had her this morning at his house and then again first thing at work.  It still wasn’t enough.

Her fingers moved faster.  “Are you distracted yet?”

“No. Not a bit,” he lied.

She smiled as she bent forward and sucked the full length of him into her mouth.

Oliver inhaled sharply.  He forced himself to stare at the wall as her tongue moved in delicious circles across his overly heated flesh.  He couldn’t look down. He couldn’t watch her. He knew if he caught sight of her lips wrapped around him, of her hair spread out on his thighs, of her lithe body wriggling on her knees, he was going to lose it before he had the chance to be inside her again.

Oliver gripped the armrests, gritting his teeth.  “This…this doesn’t change a-anything.  I am completely focused.”

She sucked harder, more rhythmically, her fingers fitting around the base of him, tightening as she moaned.  Closing his eyes, he swore under his breath.  Then he felt the rim of her eyeglasses hit the skin over his lower abs and he nearly emptied himself down the back of her throat.  But he knew he had to maintain control.  He couldn’t give in to her demands right now.  If he did, they would spend the rest of their lives together with her thinking that if she wanted to win an argument, all she had to do was unbutton his pants. 

On second thought, maybe that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing…

Felicity pulled back and Oliver finally risked opening his eyes. Pushing off of his thighs with both hands, she stood slowly.  With a charming smile, she reached around the back of her skirt and undid the zipper, letting the fabric fall to the ground.  Her panties came next, followed by her bra.  Felicity stood before him then, in nothing but red high heels, staring shamelessly at his state of arousal. 

She didn’t say another word, just took a step forward, parted her legs, climbed into the chair with him, and slid herself onto his raging erection in one seamless motion. She let out a soft little whimper when she’d settled fully onto him and Oliver had to focus hard on getting air in and out of his lungs.  He tried not the think about the fact that she was 99% naked and the only unclothed part of him was currently buried deep inside her.

Her perfectly tapered fingers ran across his face, tracing the stubble on his jaw. She rose up and glided back down, once, twice.  “How about this?” she whispered. “Have I distracted you yet?”

“That’s…um…not.” He wasn’t sure what he’d said.

Nuzzling against his cheek, her tongue darted out to taste his skin. “I see.”  She bit into his earlobe, licked the little indentations she’d made, then straightened.  Felicity glued her eyes to his as she reached down and grasped her breasts, one in each hand. She ran her thumbs across her hardened nipples before leaning forward, presenting them to his mouth. “How about now?”

“Damn, Felicity,” he cursed as he sat up higher, wrapping an arm around her back, fastening her to him.  He feasted on one taut bud, sucking it hard into his mouth.  His other hand clamped onto hers, overlapping her fingers, squeezing and pulling on the erect peak of her other breast until she moaned as frantically as he did. 

She rose up and down again within his tight embrace, surrounding him in slick wetness, contracting her inner muscles to milk his erection.  Oliver let go of her breast to pull her head down, slamming his mouth against hers, his tongue more eager than ever to taste her.  Her hips ground down again and she groaned.

“Tell me you’re distracted,” she murmured against his lips.

Oliver couldn’t see straight.  “ _Yes_ , I’m distracted. But I will tell everyone. Eventually.”

Felicity kissed him deeper.  “But not now. Not yet.”  She pressed her breasts to his chest and arched up before landing back down onto him with full force, the ample flesh of her ass pounding harder against his thighs as she worked them both into a delirious frenzy.

“Anything you say, Felicity.  Anything,” he panted.

She smiled…and finished what she’d started.

 ...

Felicity stepped out of Oliver’s office sometime later, only after triple-checking her outfit; she couldn’t afford to have anything on backwards or ridiculously wrinkled.  She closed his office door silently and peered down the hallway, thankful Tommy didn’t see her exit. Side-stepping to the left, she scurried toward her office. 

Laurel popped out of the doorway. “Felicity!”

Her hand flew to her chest, her heart pounding.  “Yikes, Laurel!” 

“Did I scare you?  Sorry.”

Felicity straightened and forced a smile.  “Oh, no, just wasn’t expecting you there.”  She moved around the energetic brunette and into her office.

Laurel’s brow arched.  “Is everything alright with you?”

Felicity sat stiffly in her chair.  “Yes, of course.”

“Really? Cause you look kinda flushed.”

She touched her face with the back of her hand.  “Do I? Maybe I’m, uh, coming down with a cold or something.”

Laurel’s arms folded across her chest and she stared at her for a long minute. Felicity tried not to shift in her seat under the scrutiny.  Then Laurel pursed her lips.  “Don’t even think that you’re calling in sick for the next two weeks.”

“No, no, of course not.  I wouldn’t do that to you.”  Felicity let out a little sigh of relief.

“Did Oliver tell you I was looking for you?  Tommy told him to tell you.”

“Um, yeah. I do remember that.”

“Well, I wanted to ask what you’re doing next Friday.”

 _I’ll probably be doing Oliver._ “Why do you ask?”

Laurel threw her arms up.  “Can you say, PARTY?”

“Party? For what?”

“For you, silly!  A going away party. I’ve got us a boatload of tables reserved over at Angelo’s.  Everyone in the whole office wants to come.”

Felicity swallowed hard.  “You mean _everyone_ in the office?”

“Oh, well, I didn’t tell your boss.  I know that’s probably wrong, but it’s my party and I just don’t want him to know about it. Because he wouldn’t come anyway and if he did – could you imagine?  Everyone would freak out.”

“I could only imagine.”

“Alright, so, next Friday at Angelo’s, right after work.  Sound good?”

“Sure.”

“Awesome!” Laurel sang as she turned on her heels and left.

Felicity made sure Laurel was gone before she dropped her head into her hands and groaned.  She already dreaded this party. First, because she knew she would miss this place, and everyone in it, so she didn’t see any reason to celebrate. Second, because she would have to keep this secret from Oliver all week and she didn’t want to do that. Third, because if he did actually come, she wasn’t sure what he would do.  For some reason, he wanted to tell everyone that they were a couple.

And if he did? She couldn’t possibly imagine that. She was barely handling things as they were.  For crying out loud, she’d only been cohabitating with him for a few days (she refused to say “living” with him, because…well, _because_ ) and yet they’d already struck up a weirdly perfect routine.

They took turns cooking. They took turns doing the dishes. She knew which drawer his can opener was in, for Pete’s sake.  His can opener! She knew that he vacuumed his house every day (seriously, who does that?) and that he sometimes babbled in his sleep and that he always wanted to cuddle in the morning.  And, much to her dismay, she’d come to accept the fact that he woke up looking just as gorgeous as he did when he went to bed, which was so unacceptably unfair.  At least she’d seen him groom his perfect jaw stubble a time or two; it made her think that maybe he hadn’t been gifted every single genetic miracle on the planet while she woke up looking more like Medusa than Madonna. 

She wasn’t even sure how any of this had happened.  One minute, she'd been sitting beside Oliver in her Bug, still coping with the fact that he’d just blown off his no-sex-in-the-office rule and bent her over his desk to have his way with her (okay, so technically _she_ was the one who’d bent over, but still, it was his idea!) and then the next minute Oliver was insisting she move in with him. And, at that moment, she’d just been coming to terms with him being in her car for the first time – frankly, she was amazed his gigantic body even fit in the seat – and she could feel the heat of his skin radiating directly at her as if he’d specifically told it to do that (and of course it listened!) and the next thing she knew, Oliver was talking about cars being in the wrong place and people living together when they were having affairs and some mention of King Henry and then she just found herself agreeing to pack up her things and walk into his house with a suitcase.

Except that she didn’t walk into his house with a suitcase.  Oliver carried it inside for her.  And he put her clothes in a couple of drawers he’d cleared out (when the hell had he done that?) and stuck her toiletries next to his in the bathroom and then put her suitcase so high up on the back shelf of his immense walk-in closet that she couldn’t possibly reach it without a ladder.  And then immediately after that, he was cooking dinner and she was setting the table and they were laughing together over candlelight and a few glasses of wine and – _holy hell_ – what was _happening_ here?

Still holding her head in both hands, Felicity squeezed her eyes shut against all the delightfully domestic images roaming around in her head and tried to concentrate on her current dilemma.  No one could find out what was taking place at Oliver’s house right now; she simply couldn’t fathom the idea of her coworkers knowing about any of this.  It was bad enough that her pillow had taken up residence in his bed.  Her. Pillow.  Was.  On. His.  Bed.  _Her pillow!_

And then, as if all of that wasn’t bad enough, tomorrow she would meet Oliver’s brother Barry for doggy-gym building day.  That felt like a huge thing, to be introduced to family, and she didn’t know what to think of it. Her nerves were already completely shot, and if she had to deal with her coworkers hounding her about their relationship, on top of everything else, she would probably have a complete breakdown.  People knowing that they were a couple would just make everything so much more real…and raw.  And it would make leaving Oliver akin to _Mission: Impossible_.

As it was, Felicity didn’t want to imagine another day without him. 

... 

 **A/N:** I have to admit, I pretty much giggled all the way through writing this; I hope it was contagious :) I’d love to hear your thoughts, as always.  Come talk to me on Tumblr anytime at TinaDay3W – I can’t wait for all the Olicity goodness this week!!  Up next…Chapter 12: Grumpy Bear


	12. Grumpy Bear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there guys! I’m sorry for the bit of delay in posting; I’ve been in a mild-to-moderate coma since the events of episode 3x20. Also, I wanted to get this chapter just right…I hope I succeeded. Welcome to doggy-gym building day :)

Felicity awoke in the wee hours of Saturday morning to a large, warm body snuggling up to her.  Oliver’s hands eased under his fluffy down comforter, finding their way to her bare hips and pulling her closer, pressing her breasts into his solid chest. Her nipples tightened against his hot skin as he nuzzled his face into her tousled hair.

“Mornin’,” she whispered, giggling as his scratchy chin rubbed against her shoulder.

“Mmm,” he murmured, warm breath heating her neck.  “This is my favorite time of the day, when I reach out and you’re right here beside me.”

Felicity peeled an eyelid open to see a pale stream of light peeking through the gap in the window curtains.  “What time is it?”

“I already told you.  It’s favorite-time.”

She smiled against his cheek.  “This would be my favorite time of day, too, you know.  Although, I must say, last night was pretty freaking awesome as well. Seriously, you were on fire. That move you did with your fingers and tongue at the same time?  Priceless. Really, there’s just no price to put on that and, yeah, I’ll stop babbling about your sexual achievements now.”

He chuckled beside her ear as his hand eased across her lower back. “Please don’t stop; that’s another reason why this is my favorite time of day – because you always wake up in babble-mode.”

“Hmm. Well, as much as I enjoy favorite-time, is there any way we can attach some numbers to it this morning? Because we actually have things to do today.”

Oliver raised his head to lock his eyes with hers.  “I know, but I would be crazy-happy just lying in bed with you for the next forty-eight hours or so. I have so many more finger-tongue moves to share.”

“Wow. It would be difficult to put into words how much I want that too, Oliver.  But I think your brother would be pretty ticked if he had to build my doggy gym alone.”

“Eh, he’d get over it.”

Felicity laughed as she ran her fingertip across his lips.  Oliver nipped at her skin. 

“It’s hard to believe that I finally get to meet Barry today, after all these years. What did you even tell him about us?”

“You sound nervous.”

“Well, he’s part of your family, so…yeah, I’m a little nervous. And I’ll bet he’s curious about why you’re taking a weekend off to help me with my business; he must be wondering what kind of relationship you and I really have.  Did you tell him that you just decided to do something heroically super-fantastic for your secretary today?”   

Oliver smiled down into her eyes, but he didn’t answer right away.  Felicity held his gaze, waiting patiently for a response to her question, while he grabbed her by the hips and tucked her beneath him, arranging her naked body under his own, pinning her to the mattress. His massive form engulfed her as he situated their hips, chests, arms, and legs together, and Felicity worked to focus beneath the onslaught of sensations.  No matter how often she found herself in this position, gazing up into his beautiful baby blues while she lay underneath him, she still felt awed by it all.

Oliver dipped down for a quick kiss before finally answering her. “You know, come to think of it, I may have told Barry that you and I are living together.”

“You...WHAT!” Felicity tried like hell to sit up, to no avail.  She pushed against the wall of his chest for several more seconds before noticing the devilish grin spread across his lips.  “Oliver! Did you purposefully pin me down to the bed before you told me that?”

“Yes, actually, that’s exactly what I did.”

She glared up into his sparkling, mischievous eyes.  “Damn, you are…you’re so…”  _Adorable.  Frustrating.  Dreamy. Irritating.  Friggin’ Frackin’ Fantastically Perfect._

“I’m so…what?”

Felicity nibbled her lower lip.  “Did you really tell Barry that I’m living with you?”

“Yes.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Well, because it’s true.”  He traced a finger down the side of her face.  “And because I wanted to tell someone.  I didn’t tell him everything about us; I just said we’d decided to move in together, to see how we liked it.”

Her brow furrowed.  “I don’t understand, Oliver. It’s only for two more weeks; you’ll have a lot to explain to him later.”

“I’ll deal with that when the time comes.  But for now, I needed to talk to someone.  I can’t say anything to Tommy, or anyone at the office, per your request. It felt good to tell my brother. I think you can understand; you have Cate. You talk to her all the time about…things.”

“Hmm, that is true.  I guess I just never thought Oliver Queen needed to talk to anyone.”

“Wow. Do I really come across as that much of a loner?”

“Um…”

“Wait, don’t answer that.”

She smiled.

“I’m not a robot, Felicity.  I swear. Even though I can do the dance.”

Felicity giggled with the memory of him doing his best Artificial Intelligence impersonation in a field of dandelions.  “I know you’re not a robot, Oliver.  I just don’t want Barry to have some preconceived notion about me.  Is he going to think I’m a tramp for living with you?”

“No, he’s going to think you’re a _saint_ for living with me.”

She laughed out loud and his body moved on top of hers, hard and soft rubbing together.  Arching her head off the pillow, Felicity pressed her lips to his and whispered, “You know, I’m not a saint right now.”

Oliver grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

She returned his grin, her pulse quickening as she anticipated another vigorous round of spirited sex with plenty of finger-tongue moves. But Oliver didn’t budge an inch from the position he was in, nor did he rush any movement.  Instead, he eased both hands into her hair, holding her still as he kissed her again.  His tongue was slow and languorous as it danced with hers.  Felicity could feel him hardening against her thigh and she tried to wriggle beneath him, to encourage some quick friction.  But Oliver wouldn’t allow it.  He just continued his deliberate assault on her mouth, steadying her face in his hands as he traced her lips with his tongue, as he rubbed his nose against hers and smiled into her eyes. 

Felicity reached her arms around his waist and then lowered her hands to his ass, grabbing hold of both cheeks and giggling.  She tried to wrap her legs around the backs of his thighs and rock her hips upward, to force him to go faster, but he wouldn’t take her bait. He just continued looking into her, keeping her body pinned to the bed with his own.  And then slowly, one at a time, he reached down for her arms and drew them up above her head.  He trapped each of her hands in one of his own, entwining their fingers together and sinking them into the pillow beside her head.  Oliver held her, just like that, for long moments, placing tiny little kisses against her lips and nose as Felicity watched his eyes grown darker, not only with desire, but with something…more.

Forever passed before he finally shifted and started to move, rocking his hips against hers, his now-thick erection gliding between the wetness of her folds, over and over, until it found home.  But he didn’t enter her quickly.  He went slowly, so slowly that Felicity thought she would scream out from the torture of waiting.  She tried to buck up into him, to hurry things along, but the faster she tried to go, the steadier he became, stilling her movements with the pressure of his hips against hers. It didn’t take long for her to realize that he wasn’t giving her a choice in this matter, and when she finally acquiesced and settled down against the mattress, he withdrew himself, all the way to the tip, before restarting his slow, precise descent into the heat of her body.

Several moments later, Oliver allowed himself to sink fully inside her and Felicity moaned, the feeling of fullness so utterly overwhelming. He still held her arms up beside her head, and she squeezed onto both of his hands, clinging to him in sheer desperation as she looked into his eyes.  He stared down into her, unflinching, and her heart pounded in her chest as she stared back.  His deep blue gaze was raw and intense and harrowing in its honesty and it hurt to look at him like this; it was too close, too intimate.  It made her want so much more.  It made her want too much.

“Felicity,” he whispered, pressing more soft, tender kisses to her cheeks and lips. “Felicity,” he echoed her name, over and over, like a plea, or perhaps an understanding.  He nudged her nose with his and then rested their foreheads together, closing his eyes for a long moment, his body stilling inside her and holding her steady.  He surrounded her, engulfed her, filled her, and for these precious moments she felt truly safe and blissfully secure and absolutely, wonderfully cherished.

Until the emotion of the moment overwhelmed her and Felicity’s heart squeezed painfully in her chest.  A pressure built in her lungs, a pressure that had nothing to do with the heaviness of his body, and she suddenly found it difficult to breathe.  “Oliver.  Oliver, please,” she begged.  “Please.”

He opened his eyes then, raising his head to see her.  He looked inside her, so deep inside her, and Felicity wanted nothing more than to look away.  But she didn’t.  She stayed just like that, staring into Oliver’s eyes for several more long, drawn moments, while he filled her so completely.  Time stopped as his fingers eased across hers, as his warmth infused her skin, as his body kept her anchored to the earth.

And then, finally, he gave her a smile and a little nod and started to move again, although still slowly, taking his time easing in and out.  Their hips rocked in perfect, subtle synchronicity, the minute movement generating more heat than she thought possible as the soft skin of her breasts and belly pressed into the taut muscles of his chest and abdomen. The sunshine grew brighter through the gap in the curtains, cocooning them in light as he continued looking into her, never tearing his gaze from her eyes as their bodies pressed together, over and over again. 

Her orgasm built, small and tenuous at first, but then stronger and stronger as his perfectly controlled movements continued, mercilessly assaulting her with a depth of emotion she simply wasn’t prepared for. Finally, when the ache in her chest became unbearable, Oliver’s breathing changed.  Finally, he pressed deep inside her, then deeper still, the tenuous friction bringing them both so close to the edge that they could barely breathe. And then Felicity tipped over that edge, still staring into his eyes as her mouth dropped open.   He followed her immediately, both of them crying out from the intensity of sensation.  Their hands squeezed hard onto each other, their fingers wrapped tight together, until he finally broke their stare to drop his head into her shoulder, gasping into her neck. 

Tears fell from her eyes, purely against her will, but she couldn’t control them. When Oliver felt the wetness, he pulled back slightly, just enough to kiss the drops from her cheeks. And then he pressed his lips fully to hers, drinking her in as he released his fierce grip on her hands, moving to cradle her face in his fingertips.  And all she could do at that moment was wrap her arms around him and not let go.

  ...         

An hour later, Oliver drove them to the Pooch Palace in his truck. Felicity tried not to look at him, because she could barely control her nerves as it was.  It wasn’t just the prospect of meeting Oliver’s brother that had her hands trembling and her pulse racing; it was the realization of what she and Oliver had done this morning.  That never should have taken place.  They were having an affair, plain and simple, and everything between them was supposed to be light and amusing and entertaining. 

But that wasn’t what happened when they were wrapped up in their cocoon in the early morning sunlight. They’d made love, and there was nothing plain or simple about it.  She knew it. And she knew Oliver knew it. And she knew Oliver knew she knew it. And…well, they both knew it.

The thing was, their lovemaking hadn’t been her choice.  Oliver chose it; he directed the entire thing.  He didn’t allow her to play around as she usually did.  No, he made sure those perfect moments were impassioned and intense and full of the emotions she was trying so desperately to keep buried. The whole thing mixed her up inside, turning her thoughts inside out, and she had to remind herself over and over again that this arrangement wasn’t permanent, no matter how much she wanted it to be. No matter how her heart struggled to reach out of her chest, to reach for Oliver’s heart, and hold on for dear life.

“Hey,” Oliver said.

His deep voice broke the silence and Felicity jumped in her seat.  She clasped her hands together, laughing at her own skittishness as she glanced at the floor.  “Hey.”

He lowered his voice, making it softer and soothing.  “Are you doing okay over there?”

“Um, yeah. Yeah, I’m okay.”

His hand found its way to her thigh, squeezing onto her as the heat of his skin seeped through her jeans.  “Don’t be nervous, Felicity. I’m right here with you. Everything is going to be alright.”

She looked up to him as he smiled at her, and she found herself smiling back.  He was probably telling her not to be nervous about meeting his brother.  But then again, maybe he was telling her something else entirely. 

Oliver refocused on the road and Felicity closed her eyes.  Something had changed between them this morning.  Something big.  And it gave her hope, which scared the living hell out of her.

She shook her head. She really couldn’t think about this, not today.  And probably not tomorrow, or the next day either.  In fact, it would be best to not think about making love to Oliver ever again. Because that just wasn’t something she ever wanted to walk away from.

 ...

When they finally arrived at the Palace, the house was still empty. But only for a few minutes. Customers soon came through the door in droves and Felicity focused her mind on tending to them while Oliver prepped the backyard.  An hour later, she watched out of the front window as a gigantic red 4x4, loaded with building supplies, pulled up to the curb. 

“Is that Barry?” Oliver asked, walking up from the back hall.

“I think so.”

He glanced out of the window.  “Yup, that’s his monster truck.  I’ll go help him.”

He smiled at her as he left and Felicity returned to the window to watch a baby-faced, adorably cute guy hop out of the red 4x4.  Oliver approached his brother with an outstretched hand but Barry ignored it, pulling Oliver into a bear hug.

They started talking and Felicity eased away from the window, afraid to get caught spying.  She moved to stand by the front desk, waiting patiently until she heard their heavy footsteps on the front porch.  Oliver came in first.

“Hey, honey,” he greeted her in a deep drawl while setting a few bags on the ground. Barry came in on his heels, but Felicity didn’t have the chance to say hello as Oliver strode over to her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her hard.

Felicity half-wanted to smack him for being rude and half-wanted to ask Barry to excuse them for several minutes…or hours.  She stood, stunned, when Oliver finally released her.

Barry cleared his throat as he walked up to them.  “Alright, alright, big brother.  Quit marking your territory.”

Oliver shook his head, but Felicity noticed a hint of guilt in his eyes. “Um, Felicity, this is my brother, Barry – lawyer, goofball, slave to fashion.”

“Ha, ha.” Barry snorted at Oliver before turning to her with a cheesy smile and reaching out to take hold of her hand. “Hi Felicity, it’s lovely to finally meet you.”

“You too, Barry.”

“Thanks for all the gifts you’ve bought me through the years.”  He threw Oliver a dirty look.

Oliver rolled his eyes and Felicity laughed. 

“You’re very welcome.  Thanks for coming to help out today.  I know you’re busy; this is really wonderful of you.”

Barry still held her hand, and Oliver reached out and took it back, winding his fingers with hers.  Barry grinned wildly. “Glad to be here. I’m happy to pay tribute to the person who recognizes my monumental birth each year, since my brother’s too big a dork to do it.”

“Gee, thanks, Barry.”  Oliver chuckled, turning to her.  “I’m going to get him out of your hair now.  We’ll be out back if you need us.”

Felicity nodded.  “Just let me know if I can help.  I thought I’d order Chinese for lunch.”

“You are talking my language,” Barry said, moving to grab the bags off the floor.

Oliver smiled and gave her a quick kiss before turning to help.

 ...

Felicity stood in the kennel for much of the day, playing with the dogs in turn as she watched the two brothers through the back window. By the time they’d brought in the supplies, dug holes, poured cement and placed the support beams, it was well past noon. Felicity ordered the food and called them in to eat.

“It’s a damn beautiful day out,” Barry declared as they stepped inside. “Sorry the pooches can’t enjoy it.”

Felicity smiled.  “I’m sure they’ll understand when they see the end result.”

Oliver brushed sawdust off his shirt.  “I managed to get cement on my hands.  Guess I should wash up before lunch.”

Felicity followed him with her eyes as he exited down the hallway, loving the way his body moved in a T-shirt and jeans.  A vision of the two of them together, wrapped so tightly around one another this morning, caused a flush to spread up her neck and onto her cheeks. She turned away as quickly as she could, but she knew she’d been staring too long when she saw the look on Barry’s face.  “Um, the food should be here any minute,” she offered, averting her eyes as she pushed her glasses up her nose.

“Great.”

“Let me just refill a couple more dog dishes.”

“Can I help?”

“Oh, no, you’ve been so great already.  I’m really thankful for all you’re doing.”

Barry shrugged.  “Well, I’m really thankful for all you’re doing.”

Felicity laughed as she lifted a bag of dog food.  “Is this about your birthday gifts again?”

“In a round-about way, I guess.  Did you know we never gave gifts before you?”

 She stilled midway through feeding Tug.  “You mean _never_?”

“No, never.  Our parents didn’t believe in that sort of thing.  No Christmas gifts, either.”

The Great Dane barked and Felicity startled, dumping a mound of kibble in his bowl and closing his crate.  She stood, leaning back on her work counter, staring at Barry.  “You guys never got any presents?  I didn’t know that.  I always thought Oliver was too caught up in work to do it.”

Barry rested against the counter beside her.  “Oh, I’m sure he was caught up in work.  But the first time we got a birthday gift from him, even though we knew it was from you, was amazing.  Thea and I talked about it a lot over the years.  It made us feel like there was still a chance to have him in our lives.”

Felicity shook her head.  “But, if you never gave gifts, why did he let me?  He could have said no, or stopped me.  When I suggested it, he just let me do it.”

“Yeah, I like to think that he wanted to do something, but just didn’t know how to start.  Not until you came along.”

“Wow. Well, I’m glad,” she said, smiling softly to herself.  “He’s helped me a lot through the years, too.  I mean, he’s always been an amazing boss and I’ve learned so much about business from him. He’s really the reason I had the courage to open this place.”

“I see.”  Barry stared at the ground for a moment before looking back at her.  “Felicity, this is none of my business, so feel free to tell me to put a sock in it, but…how long have you been this madly in love with my brother?”

“What?” She tossed her ponytail over one shoulder. “What makes you think that?”

He shrugged.  “It’s the little things. Like the way you smile when you talk about him, as if you have these quiet dreams that you’re keeping to yourself. And it’s the way you look at him; you wear it like a second skin.  But please don’t worry, if you’re keeping it to yourself for now. I get paid to notice things about people; Oliver gets paid to notice things about buildings.  He’s clueless, I’m sure, and I won’t say anything.”

Unable to deny a word he’d said, Felicity fidgeted as she stared at the dog crates.

“You’re right,” Barry offered, “it’s none of my business.  But could I ask you one favor?”

Felicity forced herself to meet his eyes again.  “What is that?”

“If he ever drives you crazy and you decide to leave, would you please think about giving him another chance?  Would you consider that his emotional underdevelopment isn’t entirely his fault, and maybe stick around for a little while longer?”

She grinned despite herself.  “Did you just call your brother underdeveloped?”

“Yeah, please don’t tell him I said that.  He’ll be pissed as hell.”

“Your secret is safe with me.”

Barry smiled back at her.  “He’s lucky to have you, Felicity.  And so are we; Thea and I couldn’t be happier about the two of you together. I talked to her yesterday and she said how much she liked the birthday gift you sent and how she wished you two were dating, and when I told her you guys are living together she screamed so loud I couldn’t hear anything for an hour.” 

“Really? She was that happy about it?”

“Absolutely. You’ve made us feel like he’s closer to us.  Like we haven’t lost him.”

“But, I don’t understand.  Didn’t Isabel ever do anything with you guys?”

Barry’s brow shot up.  “Isabel the coldhearted bitch?  Do anything unselfish? That woman is a damn cancer.”

Her eyes widened.  “Wow, Barry, don’t hold back. It’s not good to bottle things up; tell me how you really feel.”

He glanced at her and they both started giggling.

“Man, you do have an awesome laugh, just like Oliver always says.” He nudged her with his elbow. “You know, if you ever do get fed up with my brother, remember I’m single.” 

“Okay, thanks.”

Oliver’s footsteps approached.

Barry waggled his eyebrows at her.  “Did I mention I’m a lawyer?”

Oliver stalked up to them, glaring.  “Damn, Barry, I leave for five minutes and you’re moving in on me?”

“Hey, I don’t see a ring on her finger.” 

Oliver stepped over to take Felicity’s hand in his.  “You don’t need to look at her finger.  Or anything else, for that matter.”

Barry grinned.  “Aw, who’s being a grumpy bear?”

Oliver rolled his eyes.

“I’ll just clean up and meet you two over lunch,” Barry said as he walked out.

The moment they were alone, Felicity looked up into Oliver’s face. “Grumpy bear?”

He shook his head.  “It’s from a book I used to read him when we were kids.  It’s about a bear who is always cold and grumpy, until one day his brother gives him a whole bunch of blankets, and then he’s warm and happy. It’s silly, just a bedtime story.”

Felicity watched the emotion move through Oliver’s eyes as he spoke. “I think that’s sweet. And Barry is really something.”

“Do I need to apologize for his behavior?  He’s always been a flirt.”

“He’s the flirt, and you’re the stern older brother?”

“You mean the more intelligent, better looking, stern older brother?”

She laughed.  “Yeah. That’s exactly what I meant.”

“We’re a little competitive, in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“ _No_.  _Really_?”

“I sense sarcasm.”

“You are one intuitive man, Oliver Queen.”

He reached out to cup her cheek, staring down at her mouth for a long moment before looking into her eyes.  “You’re pretty intuitive, too.  Can you sense what I’m feeling, Felicity?”

“Um, are you hungry?”

“Um-hmm.”

“For Chinese food?”

“Oh, no.  You missed that completely.”

“I guess I’ll have to work on it.  Maybe tonight I’ll figure out what you’re hungry for.”

“Keep teasing me and I won’t be able to wait.  Barry will get quite a show.”

Felicity grinned, taking him by the hand and pulling him toward the hall. “Come on, grumpy bear. It’s time to eat.”

Oliver groaned and followed.

 ...

The men worked all day, until well after the dogs had gone. When Barry finally left for his hotel, promising to see them again bright and early, Felicity knew Oliver was exhausted.  “Hey, you want to grab a bite to eat?” she asked as she locked up the front door behind them.

“Would you mind if we just picked up some pizza on the way home?”

A shiver went down her spine when he said _home,_ as if it belonged to both of them.  As if she belonged there with him.  “Yeah, pizza sounds good.”

Oliver fell silent inside the truck, so Felicity filled the quiet by babbling about the amazing job they’d done.  She loved the progress they’d made, loved that the clients who came to pick up their pooches were as excited as she was.  Oliver simply listened, and nodded, and held her hand.  It wasn’t until they’d made it home, eaten, and flopped onto the couch, that he spoke up.

“You know, Felicity, we spent all day with Barry, and it made me realize that I don’t really know anything about your family.”

She slumped against the armrest and pulled out her ponytail holder, letting her hair fall to her shoulders. She didn’t miss the sexy little groan that escaped his lips as he watched her.  A second later, Oliver pulled her legs onto his lap and his strong hands began massaging her feet.

“Hmm,” she breathed as his fingers worked their magic.  “What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

She couldn’t help giggling at such an Oliver-answer.  “Well, that’s a tall order, but, um, let’s see.  I have a mom and one sister, Emma, who’s three years older than me. We grew up here in Starling. Emma got married the year before I went to college and had two kids pretty quickly.  Her husband got transferred to Las Vegas for his job and Mom wanted to be near her grandkids, so they asked me if I would be okay if they moved there.  I was halfway through college here in Starling, so I said sure.”

“And what about your father?”

Felicity stiffened and Oliver’s eyes darted to hers.  “I’m sorry,” he amended. “You don’t have to talk about it, if you don’t want to.”

She smiled softly, relaxing back into the couch cushions as he continued massaging her sole. “It’s okay; I just don’t think about him much.  He left when I was young. The only good memory I have of him anymore is Ophelia.”

“Ophelia?”

“She was my dog. Dad gave her to me when I was five years old and she grew up with me.  When he left, she was my lifeline.  I love my mom and my sister, but they always had more in common with each other. And I just felt like I had more in common with my dog.”  Felicity stopped talking to peek at Oliver, wondering if he would find that a strange concept. But he only nodded, and Felicity couldn’t help smiling.  “Ophelia is the reason I love dogs, the reason I love my business now.”

“Then I’m glad you had her.”

“Me too. I had her for the longest time, right up until Mom and Emma and the kids left for Vegas.  Ophelia died that same month.”

Oliver’s brow furrowed and he looked into her eyes.  “And then you were all alone?”

Felicity shrugged. “Well, I was twenty and could take care of myself.  I cried a lot about Ophelia and I missed my family, but it’s not like they abandoned me. Cate’s the one that really got me through it.  She’s like my other sister.”

“Ah yes, Caitlin, your business partner and best friend.  Just like I have Tommy.”

“Yeah, we do have that in common, don’t we?”

“We do. I guess she’s a good business partner?”

“She’s great. We manage just fine.”

“Still, if you need help, I would be happy to do something for you.  What about bookkeeping?  I could probably find you a decent accountant.  Maybe even lend you Roy or Diggle for a while.”

Felicity smiled, both from the feel of his hands and from his desire to help.  “Thank you, Oliver.  I appreciate the offer, but I can do it myself.  I have my MBA now.”

He stilled. “When did you get that?”

“I took night classes for the past two years.”

Oliver stared at her.  “Are you telling me you worked with me every day, took Master’s courses at night, and started a successful business on the weekends, all in the last two years?”

She grinned.  “Yes.”

“Felicity, you’re remarkable.”

God, those were the best words she’d ever heard.  “Thank you for remarking on it.”

Oliver grew silent for a moment before resuming his ministrations on her tired feet. “I wish you would have told me about your degree; I would have bought you a graduation gift.”

“You would have?”

“Of course.”

“But Barry told me…”

“Told you what?”

“That your family doesn’t believe in giving gifts.”

Oliver grimaced. “I wish he hadn’t said that.”

“Why?”

“Because it makes my upbringing sound freakish, which it wasn’t.”

“Most people celebrate birthdays.”

“My parents gave us every advantage; they instilled us with a good work ethic and a strong moral code. When we performed well, we were rewarded – not just because another year elapsed, but because we earned it.”

Felicity watched the muscle in his jaw twitch.  “Barry seems different than you, though.”

“More sparkly?” he asked, glancing over at her.

She shook her head. “No.  Just different.” 

Oliver exhaled and shrugged. “I was the oldest; the example. They were a little gentler when Thea came along, and then Barry…he was such a bubbly kid, you had to love him. Plus, they’re all lawyers. Barry is a criminal attorney, Thea practices real estate law, and Mom and Dad are corporate lawyers.”

“And you chose architecture.”

“Yup, that’s right.” His eyes found hers and he sighed. “So there it is; you’ve discovered my dark little secret.”

“Which is?”

“I’m the black sheep of the family.”

Felicity burst out laughing. “The black sheep? Yeah, right!  You’re a brilliant, creative, and successful entrepreneur, your designs are fantastic, and people jump to do whatever you say. So don’t even try to pretend you’re a disappointment to anyone, let alone your own parents.”

“I’m still not a lawyer.”

Felicity sat up, wiggling closer to rest her hand on his arm.  She gazed into his deep blue eyes.  “Oliver, you are fantastic at everything you do.  Architecture, bowling, compliments, dancing, kissing, sex...everything. And if you wanted to be a lawyer, you’d kill that, too.  But I’m glad you’re not, because I think you’re doing just what you want to be doing, which is building things.  And you’re incredible at it.”

Oliver touched her face, drawing her in closer as he focused on her eyes.  “You know, sometimes you look at me like I can do no wrong.”

Her stomach flipped. “I do?”

“Yes. Not very often, only when you let your guard down.  But when it happens, it’s amazing. No one has ever looked at me like that before.” 

“No one?”

He shook his head. “No one.  And I love it, even if I don’t deserve it.”

“Why wouldn’t you deserve it?”

“Because I’m not perfect, sweet Felicity.”

She quieted beside him, mulling over his words.  The only wrong she could ever imagine being done to her by Oliver was if he left her to be with Isabel. Of course, that would be the ultimate destruction.  But why would he leave her for Isabel if that shrew never looked at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread?  _He is the best thing since sliced bread. Hell, he’s the best thing since bread. If he would just confide in me...if he would just open up his heart..._

Oliver curled his fingers into her hair.  “What’s going on in that wonderful mind of yours?”

She smiled softly. “Just something Barry and I talked about.”

“Yeah? What else did my brother have to say?”

“He, um, he mentioned that he doesn’t like Isabel.”

Oliver chuckled. “That’s putting it mildly. Are you sure there was no foul language?”

“He may have used a curse word or two.  Do you know why he feels that way?”

“Barry is just...overly protective.”

Felicity took a deep breath, her heart in her throat as she looked into his eyes. “Oliver, I know you say you don’t want Isabel...”

“Wait,” he interrupted, his brow arching as he stared at her.  “You actually heard me say that?”

“Yes, I heard the words.”

“Well, I must admit, I wasn’t sure.  You tend to ignore them a lot.”

She swallowed hard. “Just tell me what happened between you. Please, Oliver. If you really are over her, tell me why.”

Felicity stayed close to him, holding onto his arm, watching the multitudinous deep, raw emotions move across his face at the mere mention of his ex.  Her heart thumped in her chest as she waited.  After the longest time, Oliver sighed, his shoulders falling. “I realized she wasn’t the person for me.  It took forever and a day, but I realized it.  We’re over. That’s all.”

There was a little part of Felicity that really thought this would be the moment Oliver would truly open up to her.  And there was an ache inside her, so deep and so wrenching, begging to have that emotional intimacy with him.  But when he spoke, all her hopes were dashed, and all her dreams shriveled back up. Oliver wasn’t going to share himself the way she needed.  Barry asked her to give him a break, but Felicity didn’t know if that was possible.

She forced a smile onto her face, knowing all she could do was make the best of their last two weeks together.

Oliver pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.  “You look tired, Felicity; I know I am.  You want to go to sleep?  It’s another long day tomorrow.”

“I am tired. I could use a shower, though.”  

“Alright. You go shower; I’ll straighten up and meet you in bed.”

“Yeah, you could do that. Or you could come take a shower with me.”

His eyes met hers. “I’m suddenly not tired anymore.”

Felicity grinned, determined to live out her fantasies for however long she had. “I plan to do things to you that’ll make the soap bar embarrassed.”

She squealed as Oliver threw her over his shoulder and ran to the bathroom.

 ...

 **A/N:** Hey guys, thank you so much, as always, for all of your wonderful support.  You are all super fantastic awesome groovy people and I’m having so much fun doing this.  I’d love to hear what you think of this chapter :)  Up next...Chapter 13: French Fries and Firecrackers


	13. French Fries and Firecrackers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey there! I’m super excited to share this post with you guys; I do believe this is my favorite chapter. And, oddly enough, it doesn’t even have any sex in it. Hmm…go figure ;)

Oliver took great care to refasten each of the delicate buttons on her lavender blouse.  Felicity sat on his office desk, watching his eyes as he focused on the task. Considering how animalistic he’d been a few moments ago, it amused her to see him so soft and tender now, making sure the clothes he’d crumpled and thrown to the ground were perfectly replaced.

She leaned over, pressing a kiss to his forehead.  Oliver sighed at the touch of her lips to his skin, and then he finished with the buttons and reached for her hips, pulling her across the desktop until her body was once again flush with his.  Felicity rested her hands against the warmth of his chest.  “Thank you,” she whispered.

He looked into her eyes.  “For what?”

“For putting my clothes back on.”

“It was the least I could do, since I was the one who took them off.”

“Well, I appreciate it anyway.  And thank you, again, for my doggy gym.”

“I’m sorry I spent the whole week finishing it; I thought Barry and I could have gotten it done in one weekend, but it took a bit longer than I expected.”

“I can’t believe it’s done now.  Thank you for working on it every night.”

“You certainly are in a thankful mood.”

“What’s not to be thankful for?  We’ve had two wonderful weeks of nonstop sex and I have a brand new doggy gym. I’d be insane if I wasn’t utterly appreciative.”

Felicity watched as Oliver reached for her hair, curling a strand around his fingers.  She’d kept it out of the ponytail today, and had taken off her glasses and put in her contacts, in preparation for her going away party tonight.  The party she’d never told him about.

Oliver moved his hand from her hair to her shoulder before easing his fingers slowly down her arm.  “Are you sure you have to go out with Laurel tonight?  Because I could take you back home and give you more things to be thankful for.”

She smiled, even as guilt churned her stomach.  “You know how Laurel is; if I don’t follow through on my promise she’ll go all crazy on me.  I don’t think I could live with that, even if I do only have one week left here.”

With her words, Oliver stopped moving.  His entire body stilled for a long, drawn moment as he looked into her. And then he reached out, wrapping her in his arms, banding her to him.  “Only one week left,” he repeated, his voice deep and raw as it rumbled through his chest and into hers.  The next second, he pressed his lips against hers.  The kiss felt firm and insistent, but also incredibly soft and invasively warm.

As she melted back into him, Felicity tried to tell herself she could live without this – his closeness, his heat, his strength _. One more week is plenty. You don’t need to keep living in his home, to keep going to sleep beside him every night and waking in his arms every morning.  You don’t need to keep eating every meal together, and laughing and playing, and sharing all the random thoughts that pop into your head.  You don’t need to keep making love, over and over again, until you’re exhausted and thrilled and blissfully content, all at the same time. You don’t need any of that. Just act out your remaining fantasies and move on, Felicity._  

The problem was, the more time they spent together, the more fantasies she created.  Only these involved marriage.  And babies.  And growing old together. They were the best dreams she’d ever had.

Oliver’s kiss went on and on, his body solid and strong and steady as his arms encased her.  Felicity’s heart grew thicker and heavier in her chest as the moments passed, until she finally tore her lips away, purely out of self-preservation.  She rested her forehead against his, attempting to steady her breaths. “I really do have to leave, Oliver; Laurel’s waiting for me.”

“I know. It’s just…when I get a hold of you, I don’t ever want to let go.”

Her heart thudded as she raised her head to look into his eyes. “I promise I’ll be home in a few hours. We can pick up right where we left off.”

He nodded. “I’ll see you at home, then.”

Felicity jumped down off the desk, trying not to dwell on the intimacy of his words.  She gave him another quick peck before straightening her skirt and stepping away, working to ignore the feeling of his eyes boring into her backside as she exited his office.

As soon as she got into the hallway and closed his door, Laurel found her.  “There you are, Felicity!  I’ve been waiting for you forever!  What does that man make you do that takes so much time?  It’s your going away party, for crying out loud!”

“I’m here, I’m here.”

Laurel hooked arms with her.  “No more thinking about work, baby cakes.  Tonight we’re gonna party and drink and have a good old time.  And I don’t want you worrying about that grumpy boss of yours.”

 _Grumpy bear_ , Felicity corrected silently. “Okay, Laurel. Let’s go party hearty.”

 ...

Angelo’s restaurant was the perfect place.  Quaint wooden tables strewn here and there, along with plenty of chairs, enabled the entire staff of Arrow Architecture to chat and laugh and drink together, each telling stories to make the rest laugh harder.  Felicity enjoyed looking at all the faces...the people she’d known for so long, each accompanied by their own set of memories.

Laurel and Tommy sat in the middle of the bunch, looking the adorable newlyweds as they fawned all over each other.  Beside them, Roy laughed with little blond Sara from Marketing.  To their side, Diggle whispered to Lyla as he dipped a french fry into ketchup and fed it to her.  Diggle was easily twice Lyla’s size (seriously, she’d be hard-pressed to find another accountant with biceps that huge), and the two just looked so sweet together, giving each other Cheshire-cat grins.  Felicity wasn’t sure if they were trying to keep their love affair a secret, but if so they’d failed miserably.

Diggle and Lyla could take covert-op lessons from her and Oliver, although Felicity knew the only reason nobody caught on to her torrid affair was because no one thought Oliver had a pulse.  She smiled softly to herself. _How wrong they are._

She raised her glass and sipped; she wasn’t crazy about beer but she would make due. She wanted to blend in, just for this last night, before saying goodbye to the people she felt like she’d grown up with.  In truth, she had grown up here – from the wide-eyed girl she’d been, to the woman who would now make her own company flourish.

“Hey, Felicity!” Laurel hollered above the raucous din of their coworkers. “Remember the time Roy bet you that Diggle couldn’t eat an entire box of glazed donuts in one sitting?”

Felicity nodded. “Yes.  And I remember Roy did a wonderful blindfolded Chicken Dance when he lost, too.”

Roy shook his head, grinning.  “You know Sara posted that on Facebook.  My family still makes fun of me.”

Sara laughed.  “Well, you never made another bet against Felicity, did you?”

“Nope, learned my lesson,” Roy confirmed, turning back to Felicity and saluting her.

Everyone laughed and Felicity rested her elbows on the table, smiling. Conversations continued, the decibel level climbing as the level of beer in the pitchers decreased. Felicity’s ears had just grown accustomed to the riotous noise.  Then everything changed.

Everyone stopped talking. Everyone ceased laughing. Everyone stared.

At Oliver Queen, who’d walked through the front door. 

Oliver paused, looking around the crowded restaurant before locating their cluster of tables. Felicity’s breath hitched when his eyes caught hers.  He started moving toward them.  The other restaurant patrons cleared a path as he strode, stern and purposeful in his tailored suit, arriving a moment later at his secretary’s side. Her heart raced as he grabbed a chair and placed it directly beside her.  Then he sat and surveyed his staff. 

For a long moment, no one said a word. And no one dropped a pin, although Felicity was pretty damn sure she could have heard that little sucker hit the floor.  Tommy finally broke the tension.  “Hey, Oliver, I was wondering when you’d get here.  Want a beer?”

“No, thanks. You all just continue with whatever you were doing.”

It didn’t sound like a command, but people instantly started talking again. Even if their voices were lower and their laughter nonexistent.  Felicity fingered the rim of her beer mug and stared straight ahead. Nerves coiled in her stomach. What was he doing here? How did he know? Was he mad at her? Could anyone tell her entire body thrummed with his presence?

She tried pretending he was just her boss – someone who’d come to wish her well – but knowing she’d been splayed out on his desk a few hours ago made it difficult. She hoped the fresh redness in her cheeks would be attributed to the alcohol and not to the fact that her lover now sat beside her.  _Lover_. That sounded creepy no matter how you said it.

Oliver leaned over to speak into her ear.  “Why is everyone so much quieter now?”

Felicity couldn’t help laughing. “They’re all afraid you’re going to fire somebody.”

He stilled, his eyes searching out hers.  “Why on earth would they think that?”

She smiled at the utter confusion written on his face.  “Because you never leave your office, so they figure if they see you, they’re goners.”

“Hmm.”

Felicity looked away, trying not to dwell on him.  She met Laurel’s concerned gaze across the table and nodded in reassurance. Laurel sighed and resumed talking to Sara.

Oliver cleared his throat. “Excuse me, everyone.” All eyes fastened on him. “This is a celebration for Miss Smoak. She has made a huge difference in this company, and I appreciate all her efforts through the years. So, I would just like to say, the next round is on me.”

Felicity had never seen a group mood change so quickly, as if the promise of free booze meant Oliver was no longer their boss and no one had to censure another word. Diggle and Roy started high-fiving while Lyla laughed.  Even Laurel raised her glass to Oliver, who nodded in return.  By the time the waitress brought several more pitchers of foamy libation to the tables, the noise level was back to earsplitting.

Satisfied that everyone else was occupied, Felicity angled toward him.  “I’m impressed, Mr. Queen.  Look at you, playing nice with others.”

“I can play nice,” he defended, his voice low enough that only she could hear.  “Is that why you didn’t invite me?  Because you thought I couldn’t blend in?”

Felicity didn’t miss the sadness in his eyes, and her heart squeezed inside her chest. “I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.  I didn’t arrange the thing, so it didn’t seem like my place to invite anyone.”

“Let me guess…Laurel didn’t want me here?”

“Well, she did make the plans. But I really wasn’t sure you’d want to come anyway, since you don’t hang out with anyone at the office, except Tommy. And I didn’t want you to feel like you had to be here, if you didn’t want to be.  And then there’s the whole celebrating-me-leaving thing, which I wasn’t sure you’d want to do, either.”

Oliver shook his head. “I’m not celebrating you leaving, Felicity. I’m celebrating the amazing six years you were with me.  I’m very happy Tommy mentioned the party.”

“Ah, it was Tommy. I should have figured. When did you know?”

“Earlier today.”

“So you knew when we were…um…”

“Together in my office at the end of the day?  Yes, I knew.”

“You didn’t say anything.”

“I kept waiting for you to say something to me.”

“Are you angry with me?”

“Just, perhaps, a little disappointed.”

“I am really sorry, Oliver. Truly.”

He nodded, then leaned toward her. “You know, I could probably punish you for it later.”

She couldn’t help grinning at the mischievous look in his eyes.  “I think I’d like that.”

Oliver chuckled, draping his arm across the back of her chair.  Felicity felt the warmth from his body and stiffened.  She glanced around, wondering if anyone had heard what she’d just said, or if anyone noticed how close they were. 

They didn’t. The entire staff looked three-sheets-to-the-wind and then Felicity watched as dainty little Sara downed an entire beer, slammed the glass the table, and emitted the biggest belch in the history of mankind.  Roy fell on the floor laughing, and Felicity giggled despite herself and settled back in her chair, resting against Oliver’s arm. 

 ...

Oliver surveyed the faces of the people he’d hired over the years.  He recognized everyone, of course, but he didn’t really know them. He left the day-to-day staff situations to Tommy, preferring to concentrate on what he did best: sitting alone at his computer screen.  But he had to admit, sitting in this rickety wooden restaurant chair, with everyone drinking and eating and talking and laughing, was significantly enjoyable.

People took turns telling tales – some he believed, some that sounded like outright lies. He found himself smiling, especially as he watched the newlyweds.  Tommy played with Laurel’s fingers, and she rested her head on his shoulder while giggling at Diggle. Tommy looked so happy, happier than Oliver ever remembered him being.  Happy being a married man.

Oliver turned to look at Felicity. She was listening avidly to a story one of the marketing people was telling an engineer he’d hired a few months ago. Oliver couldn’t remember their names, but he could barely remember his own.  Without a drop of alcohol, he still felt drunk.

Felicity was simply stunning. Not just because of her amazing eyes and fantastic smile, but because of the way she engaged with the people around her, the way her laugh made the entire room feel brighter.  He paid rapt attention as she attempted to push a curl of hair behind her ear, to no avail.  The strand fell back over her shoulder and he reached out without thinking, angling his body toward hers as he tucked the hair around the curve of her ear.

Felicity turned to look at him.  Her laughter died down, her eyes focusing in on his.

He was too close to her; he knew he was.  His arm was around her shoulder.  His hand still touched her hair.  This wasn’t boss-secretary behavior.  But he didn’t care.

He looked down at her lips, at the dark gloss sparkling on them.  Probably grape soda.  He wanted to taste, wanted it so badly that he could hardly see straight.

His hand moved to her face, cupping her cheek.  The roar of people around him dimmed in his ears.  He could only see her, could only hear the shallow, rapid breaths coming from her lips. Oliver bent forward, watching her eyes. The dazzling light blue stared into him, questioning his intentions.

He fully expected her to stop him.  To place her hand on his chest and push away, or stand and excuse herself.  He took forever to close the distance between them, giving her every opportunity for retreat, but Felicity never shook her head. She never withdrew. She sat, completely still, focused on his eyes, until his mouth came down on hers.  Just before he tasted her grape lips, Oliver swore she smiled.

And then he kissed her as he always did, as hard as he did when they were alone, and she responded. Her hands moved to his hair, curling against the nape of his neck, her tongue easing out to tease him. He forgot where he was when she made that little whimpering sound in the back of her throat, the one he’d heard a hundred times, the one he would never get enough of.  He reached a hand to her hip, knowing he just had to pull forward and she would be in his lap, curled up on him, his to explore.

But then it occurred to him that they were in a public place.  Surrounded by his employees.  And that it was…completely silent.  Oliver pulled back slowly, noting the amused expression on Felicity’s face before he looked over at his staff.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded. Their mouths hung open. A french fry dangled from Diggle’s lower lip. Laurel’s eyebrows lodged into her hairline, her full lips pursed.  The brunette’s shrill screech broke the silence.  “SHUT UP!  You two are...? _Holy crap_!” 

Insane chatter burst around them, like firecrackers exploding through a moonless night, and Felicity started laughing.  Oliver turned back to her, watching his little sprite smile as a jumble of conversations from different voices filled his ears.

“When the hell did _that_ happen?”

“You think that’s why she’s leaving?”

“They sure do spend a lot of time in his office...”

“I thought he was gay.”

“Naw, don’t you remember his bitchy ex-girlfriend?”

“I thought that was a dude.”

Oliver chuckled as he focused in on Felicity’s bright eyes.  “I guess I didn’t think this all the way through.”

“I warned you,” she said, still grinning.

Conversations continued, but Oliver tuned them all out until someone shouted, “Kiss her again!” He thought it was Roy, but he wasn’t sure.  And he didn’t care. Oliver pulled Felicity to him and pressed his lips to hers.

It occurred to him then that he’d never had anyone whistle and clap for him while he kissed a woman. And definitely never an entire bar full of crazy, whooping, hollering, drunken people.

... 

Several hours passed, yet Oliver and Felicity were still the first to leave the party. Tommy and Laurel walked out behind them, grinning and giddy.  Tommy laid his hand on Oliver’s shoulder when they reached the sidewalk.  “Double date – you and us.”

“Yeah, we’ll talk,” Oliver replied.

Laurel gave Felicity a hug. “You’re leaving work, but at least you’re not leaving us.”

Felicity smiled at her long-time friend and coworker, a knot of pain in her chest. “I was never leaving _you_ , Laurel.  We’ll always be friends.”

“Of course we will.”

Tommy pulled his wife to his side.  “Come on, babe, let’s leave them in peace.  One of these cabs has our name on it.”

Felicity turned to see the curb-filling line of taxis Oliver had called to get his staff home safely. The only non-yellow vehicle in sight was Oliver’s Mercedes, centered in front of Angelo’s entrance. Felicity waved to Laurel as Tommy opened a cab door.  Oliver moved up beside Felicity, banding his arm around her waist.  She rested her hand on top of his.

“I never thought I’d say this,” Laurel remarked as she slumped into her seat, “but you two look really adorable together.” 

Tommy waved to both of them before edging in beside his wife.

When the taxi drove off, Felicity smiled.  “Laurel’s a little tipsy.”

“She’s a lot tipsy. But at least she didn’t have a heart attack.”

Felicity gazed up at Oliver as he stepped in front of her.  A mixture of moonlight and streetlamp lit his face, showcasing the desire blatantly written in his eyes.  She would never tire of seeing how much he wanted her.  Pushing up on her tiptoes, Felicity planted her mouth on his.

He took over eagerly. His lips didn’t leave hers as he stepped her backward, until she bumped into the door of his car. She rested back against the cool surface, wrapping her arms around his neck, blissfully contented to kiss him out in the open.

“’Night, Felicity,” a female voice interrupted.  “And you too, Mr. Queen.”

Oliver raised his head and Felicity peered around his shoulder to see Lyla and Diggle stumbling out of the restaurant together.  “Good night,” Felicity called. 

Lyla waved, giggling as she got into a cab, followed quickly by Diggle.

Felicity looked back to Oliver.

He stared down into her eyes. “So, everybody knows about us now.”

“Yup, everybody knows.”

“Is that alright?”

“Well, it’ll make my last week in the office a lot more interesting, that’s for sure. And you certainly took the go-big-or-go-home approach, picking the most public forum possible to spill the beans.”

“Are you angry with me?”

She smiled. “Maybe.  A little.”

“Hmm.” He dipped his head down, murmuring against her lips, “Perhaps I can make it up to you.”

“Yeah? How so?”

Felicity fully expected him to open the car door, to shove her inside and speed to his place as fast as humanly possible.  He didn’t. Oliver straightened, and then reached for the inner pocket of his suit coat.  She noticed a slight tremble in his fingers as he eased them beneath the fabric to grab hold of something.  When he finally pulled out a long, thin jewelry box, Felicity’s throat was completely dry.

“Here,” he said, grasping the box tightly in both hands as he held it out to her.  “This, um, well, this is for you.”

Her eyes widened as she looked down at the gift, as she heard the slight quaver in his voice. “For me?”

“Yes. I couldn’t very well come to your party empty-handed.”

“What is it, Oliver?”

“It’s just…will you…just please open it and see.”

She eased the box out of his steel grip and then pried open the top.  A platinum necklace lay inside, situated on a white velvet backdrop. The biggest diamond she’d ever seen in real life hung from the chain, its multitudinous facets radiating a fiery brilliance in the dim lamplight.  “Oh, my gosh,” she whispered.  “This…this is the most beautiful…”

“You like it?”

Felicity looked up into his face, watching his eyes brighten with puppy-like expectancy.  “Oliver, this is a _huge_ diamond.”

“So I did a good job?”

“You did an amazing job, but…”

“Oh, thank God. I’m so glad.  It’s my first time.”

“First time what?”

“First time giving a gift.”

Her brow furrowed. “You mean _ever_?”

He nodded, giddy as a schoolboy. 

A band wrapped around Felicity’s heart, squeezing so hard it stole the air from her lungs. “I’m so grateful, Oliver, and you did a wonderful job picking this out, but I – I can’t accept it.”

“Of course you can.”

“No, I can’t. This is far too extravagant.”

“Too extravagant? Are you kidding me, Felicity? This is the least I can do, to tell you what you’ve meant to me all these years.”

She took a deep breath. “You mean, what I’ve meant to the _business_ , right?”

“Well, of course the business would never have done as well without you.”  He ran his fingers into her hair.  “But this gift is from me, Oliver.  Not your boss. Just Oliver.”

Felicity swallowed hard as she looked at the perfect round solitaire, shining like the North Star at night.  “Will you please put it on me?”

He nodded as he watched her. “I would love to.”

She lifted her hair up and Oliver wrapped the intricate strand around her neck.  “You know, I could get used to this gift-giving thing,” he said, his breath tickling the side of her face.  “It’s really a lot of fun.”

He finished with the clasp and situated the necklace against her skin, his finger tracing over the diamond before he refocused on her eyes.  “There you go, Felicity.  Just a little something to remind you that I can be sparkly.”

Fighting back tears, she traced the curve of his jaw.  “You know you’re sparkly, right?”

He exhaled. “Wow.  I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

“Well, just for the record, Oliver Queen, you sparkle more brilliantly than anyone else, ever. You always have. Since the day I met you.” She reached up to kiss him, arms snaking around his shoulders, body pressing closer. 

He pinned her to the door of his car, winding his tongue with hers.  Felicity would have been perfectly content for him to take her here and now, thrown haphazardly onto the hood of his Mercedes.  Except for the catcalls resounding in the distance.

“Woo-hoo! Smoak and Queen – going at it! Dude!  Get a room!”

Oliver raised his head to look into her eyes.  “Was that Roy from Accounting?”

“I’m pretty sure.”

“I’m so firing him.”

She laughed. “No, you’re not.”

He sighed. “No, I’m not.  Besides, a room is a good idea.  I have a room.  I have a _whole_ _house_ full of rooms.”

Felicity pressed her breasts against his chest, licking her lips.  “Mr. Queen, I am going to ride you like a cowgirl on the back of a wild stallion galloping across a desert plain with nothing but the hot sun bearing down on them.”

“Get in the car. Now, Felicity.”

How they got to his house without getting a speeding ticket or being thrown in jail for indecent exposure would forever be a mystery to her.

... 

 **A/N:**   I just wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank all of you for reading along with me and for gracing me with your beautiful, encouraging comments.  Writing is such a solitary activity – I’ve been working at it for years and years, sitting alone in my little corner, unsure if the images in my head are indeed coming out on paper – and to see now that I can touch your heart or give you a reason to smile is such an amazing reward. So really, truly, thank you.

On that note, I must apologize to my fellow “Snowbarrys” for being unable to explore that relationship fully in this work. Honestly, I have complete faith that Barry and Caitlyn would have all of Oliver and Felicity’s problems discussed, examined, and resolved over a cup of coffee…and then my story would be over.  So, I hope you will forgive me for not traveling any farther down that road at this time; perhaps one day. Until then, I will delve into my little Olicity world and hope that you’ll stay here with me :) Tina

Up next…Chapter 14:  Cowboy Hats, Arrow Blankets, Love Bites & Ass Vampires

 


	14. Cowboy Hats, Arrow Blankets, Love Bites & Ass Vampires

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I just thought I'd try to make up for the lack of smut in the last chapter :)

“Yee-haw!” Felicity yelled, pushing up on her thighs before landing back again on Oliver’s gargantuan erection.   She wore nothing but her diamond necklace and a cowboy hat, and Oliver savored the sight, relishing this fantasy fulfillment even more than he thought he would.  Lord, he was so damn hard inside her, he felt legitimately concerned that he might actually hurt her.

But she didn’t seem to mind one bit; in fact, his little sprite looked positively delirious as she rode him wildly, screaming out against the intense, unrelenting sensations.  Oliver knew she hated being quiet when they were at work.  Here, now, she let him know with audible audacity just how much she loved feeling every part of his body as they devoured each other on their silky bed sheets. 

Felicity whooped again as she pulled the cowboy hat off and circled it in the air a few times before setting it back on her head.  She gazed down to his face and giggled, her half-lidded eyes sparkling with joy and mischief and wonder. And then she picked up her pace again, slamming down over and over, the soft cheeks of her ass meeting the hardened muscle of his thighs with unrelenting fervor.  Oliver stared up at her as he drank in the intoxicating sounds of flesh on flesh.

He watched her every movement, hungry and desperate for each touch, for each moan, for each smile. Her breasts danced up and down as she worked their bodies together and he had to close his eyes for a moment to catch his breath.  He’d been struggling for a while now to maintain his position beneath her, to let her ride him the way she’d so giddily promised to.  But now, as Felicity dragged her hands across his chest and then down farther and farther still – tracing over the ridges of his abdomen and hips and licking her lips as she studied the progress of her fingers – Oliver couldn’t sit still any longer.  He sat up, his mouth instantly at her breast.  Sucking one nipple onto his tongue, he rolled it between his teeth before licking his way up her chest and onto her neck.  His hands grabbed hold of her ass of their own volition, and he couldn’t prevent his fingers from roaming, teasing their way gently down into the soft seam between her cheeks.  Felicity moaned deep in the back of her throat at the sensation, tightening her severe grip on his shoulders, and Oliver’s erection jerked fiercely inside her.  He clenched his jaw hard to keep from coming without her.

Moving his hands to her hips, he dug into her skin, using the leverage to pull her to him again and again, the slickness of their flesh enabling them to slide together with rapid, blissful ease.  Her arms and legs trembled around him and Oliver knew Felicity was close to the edge. He anticipated hearing the breathy little mewls that always started right before she let herself go, but they didn’t come.  Instead, he stared in awe as she simply released her hold on him, allowing her upper body to lean farther and farther away from his, until her shoulder blades touched back against the mattress and her arms fell off to her sides.

Oliver watched the hat tumble off her head, but Felicity didn’t seem to notice.  She’d simply given herself over to the moment, given herself over to him completely, and he immediately supported her, steady and strong, with one arm banded around her low back.  His eyes feasted on the sights – her golden hair spread across the sheets, the peaceful, contented expression on her face – and Oliver ceased moving. He stopped everything they’d been doing, just for a moment, in order to worship the beauty before him. Placing his hand at her base of her neck, he stared, captivated, as the diamond on her necklace fell into the hollow of her throat. And he was suddenly, acutely, and painfully aware that the brilliant radiance of the costly gem simply paled in comparison to the soft shimmer of sweat on her skin. 

Oliver slowly traced her curved body, skimming over her breasts, her ribs, and her belly, as he memorized the feel of every inch of her.  And then Felicity whimpered, and he clearly heard the ache inside her, so he gave in to his desperate desires and resumed his pounding pace, driving himself into her body over and over again with the most deliberate and intense precision he was capable of at this point in time.  His fingers dropped down from her belly, seeking the hot, wet juncture of her thighs, pressing into her folds at the same instant he lost himself and exploded inside her.  Felicity screamed out, her muscles convulsing around him.  She arched back up, wrapping her arms and legs around his back, cocooning him inside her embrace as she ground down against his hand.  “Oliver.  Oh, God, _Oliver_ ,” she breathed against his neck, the air from her lungs moving rapid and hot across his skin.

He pulled back just enough to find her lips with his, tasting her tongue and swallowing her moans as the force of her orgasm continued to clamp their bodies together. “Fe-li-ci-ty,” he whispered against her when he finally felt her inner muscles start to relax. He pressed his forehead onto hers, refusing to let go until every last tremor left her body. He needed to stay right here until the moment that she flopped onto his chest, a boneless, spent mass. That was the moment he always knew she felt complete.  That was the moment when she allowed herself to be one with him, the moment she allowed herself to be at peace with everything.  And so – when her dainty hands finally dropped to her thighs, and a soft sigh finally left her pink lips, and her damp cheek finally fell onto his shoulder – Oliver smiled, with his heart and arms full, and let his mind go blank.  He eased back onto the sheets, taking her along with him.

 ...

Several minutes after collapsing onto Oliver’s chest, Felicity finally managed to flop over onto her back, resting her head against her pillow as she waited for the air to return to her lungs.  Oliver lay beside her, having just as much trouble breathing, and she smiled – just grinned ear to ear – as she replayed the night’s events in her mind.  She couldn’t quite believe everything that had happened: Oliver crashing her going away party, and kissing her in front of the entire Arrow Architecture staff, and giving her the amazing gift that now rested against her neck, and staring at her with feral hunger as she promised him an unforgettable night of rugged, Wild West lovemaking. Felicity felt fairly certain that she’d come through on that promise. 

Raising her head off of her pillow for a moment, her eyes wandered around the bedroom until they fixated on the huge pile of clothing, shoes, and miscellaneous junk currently spilling out of Oliver’s walk-in closet.  She’d never expected, when they’d been standing out in front of Angelo’s restaurant earlier this evening, all that would transpire between them after they left for home. But now, lying here beside this magnificent man, she was just giddy about every damn thing they’d done with each other, and to each other.

It had all started out pretty normally, really.  Felicity promised to ride him like a cowgirl, Oliver instructed her to get in the car, he opened her door and closed it behind her, and then he ran around the side of the Mercedes, peeling off his suit coat and tossing it into the back before sinking into the driver’s seat.  They’d both buckled in, and Oliver had sped off into traffic, and everything was quite innocent between them.  Right up until they started touching each other. 

Oliver drove with one hand on the steering wheel while Felicity pulled his other hand over into her lap. She took the time to unbutton the cuff of his sleeve and roll the material up his arm, so she could feel the heated perfection of his skin and trace the hardened muscles of his forearm. Oliver’s hand latched onto her knee while she worked, and then his fingers moved slowly up her thigh, massaging her skin as he inched her skirt up higher and higher.  Felicity loosened the strap of her seatbelt a bit in order to lean closer, to press her face into his neck and breathe in the wonderfully spicy-hot scent that belonged only to him.  She nibbled her way up to his earlobe, licking at it as she giggled, and then Oliver’s hand clenched around her thigh and the most interesting thing popped out of his mouth.

“I own a cowboy hat,” he said.

She sat back, just a bit, to stare at the side of his face as he drove.  “You own a cowboy hat?” she echoed, not quite believing her ears.

“Yes. I have it, and I want you to wear it. God, I really want you to wear it.”

Felicity couldn’t help smiling as she inched closer to him.  “You mean…while I _ride_ you?” she purred, straining against her seatbelt in order to press her face into the side of his neck.  She reached her hand onto his leg, smoothing her fingers up his inner thigh and over his zipper.

Oliver cleared his throat before answering her, his voice coming out raw and hard. “Yes, I want you to wear it while you fucking ride me, Felicity.”

His words made her entire body throb and she mewled into the skin beside his ear. With that sound, Oliver’s hand finally released its grip on her thigh in order to move up under her bunched skirt. She’d already soaked through her panties, and when Oliver discovered the wetness he groaned in the back of his throat, pulled the material aside, and shoved two fingers roughly inside her. The ferocity of the movement caught her off guard and Felicity gasped. 

“Sorry. Sorry,” he apologized swiftly as his fingers eased back. 

She stopped his retreat by clamping her damp, trembling thighs against his hand.  “No, it’s good,” she panted.  “Don’t stop.  It’s so good.”

He didn’t waste a second before sinking his fingers back into her, and Felicity squirmed against him as she sucked onto his neck before licking her way up to the rough stubble on his jaw.  Her tongue tingled with the salt of his skin as she felt his erection swell obscenely beneath her hand. Her entire body shook at this point, and her fingers were too uncoordinated to get the zipper of his pants undone, so she did the only thing she could do:  she worked the steel length of him beneath her palm, again and again over the top of his clothing, as he strained against the unforgiving material.

Oliver moaned and dipped his fingers even farther inside her wet heat, sliding into her over and over, and it only took mere moments for Felicity to come undone, her head dropping onto his shoulder and her teeth biting into his shirt as she attempted to stifle the screams that burst from her throat.  The force of the orgasm caught her off guard and she squeezed his erection hard inside her hand, gripping onto him for dear life as he twitched into her hot, moist palm.  And then Oliver growled at her, actually _growled_ at her, “You need to stop touching me right now, Felicity, or I swear I’m going to come in my pants like a goddamn teenager and probably crash this fucking car.”

She whimpered at the thought of not being able to feel him, but she obeyed and released her fierce grip, curling her fist up against his thigh.  In the next minute, it became blatantly apparent to her that, while Oliver had demanded she stop what she’d been doing with her hand, he had absolutely no intention of withdrawing his own.  He just kept his fingers buried deep inside her, as if he had every right to do whatever he desired, because he simply belonged here.

The knuckles of his other hand strained white against the steering wheel as Oliver continued driving them home. Felicity was vaguely aware that there were stop signs and red lights along the way, but at this moment she couldn’t see any of it.  She could only see him, could only feel the strength of his body, could only hear the strained rasping of deep breaths leaving his chest.  And she was grateful, beyond belief, that Oliver was taking her where they both needed to go.

Sighing in utter contentment, she snuggled her cheek against his shoulder.  That was the moment he chose to start moving his fingers again. Slowly at first. Softly.  He eased them across her thick, swollen flesh, reigniting the sparks that ran from her tight little bundle of nerves out into her entire body. She honestly didn’t think she could get ready for him again so quickly, but he worked her slick flesh with such perfect expertise that she was waist-deep in unrelenting need within minutes. By the time they reached the house, Felicity wasn’t entirely sure where she was.  She only knew she was with Oliver. 

He finally removed his hand in order to leap out of the car and scurry around to open her door, reaching down to pull her from her seat.  Mad with desire, Felicity jumped up onto him immediately, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his waist.  Oliver pulled her hard to his chest as he rushed them across the driveway. When they reached the front door, he grabbed hold of her ass in one hand, supporting her as he fumbled his keys into the lock and then got inside and kicked the door shut behind them. Felicity’s mouth clamped onto his and Oliver sucked on her tongue as he staggered through the living room and into the bedroom, only releasing her when he could deposit her body beside the bed.

“Wait right here, Felicity,” he demanded as he stared hard into her eyes.  “Don’t you dare move a fucking muscle.”

Her lips parted on a gasp and she could actually feel her pupils dilate wider than they’d ever been in her life. She nodded beneath the scrutiny of his intent gaze, and then stood, stunned, as Oliver finally left her to stalk into his closet. Felicity watched him with her heart in her throat, actually nervous for his return, and yet still aching for it. He’d wound her body and heart and mind as tight as a bowstring, and it hurt to even breathe.

She honestly didn’t think she was even capable of laughter at this moment in time.  But then she watched him moving around inside the closet and her entire body eased.  Because Oliver just looked so damn adorable, rummaging through shelf after shelf inside the gigantic walk-in cubbyhole, sporting a ridiculously huge, tenting erection that could very well pop his zipper open, as he searched fruitlessly for his cowboy hat.

She giggled uncontrollably while calling out to him.  “Oliver, you don’t need to do this.”

“Yes, I do. You want this fantasy and I’m sure as hell going to give it to you.”

Felicity shook her head. “I’ve already got my fantasy. I don’t need the hat, baby.”

His movements stilled and he turned to look at her.  “Did you just call me _baby_?” he questioned, his eyes dark and feral. 

“Yes.”

“God, that’s incredible. Never in my life did I think I would want to be called _baby_ , and yet here it is coming from your lips and I just can’t even…”

“Oliver, forget about the hat.”

“No, I can’t. I won’t give up, no matter what. I own the damn thing, and I’m giving it to you, Felicity, because I want you to have every little thing your heart desires.”

The air rushed from her lungs as she heard the emotion behind his words, and as she saw, so plainly, his aching desire to please her.  And so she gave in and nodded, fidgeting with her fingers while she remained standing exactly where he’d placed her.

Oliver turned back to his task, apparently content now to simply throw things onto the ground as he searched.  He cursed ferociously when a shoe dropped off of a shelf and landed on his toe, and Felicity burst out laughing.  She knew he’d told her not to move a fucking muscle, but the waiting was excruciating and she finally decided that, rather than stand here and do nothing, she would happily deal with whatever consequences her disobedience might bring.  Reaching to unbutton her top, she quickly peeled every last inch of clothing from her body as she waited for him to finish his treasure hunt. When Oliver finally shouted in triumph and turned to show her his find, she was buck-naked and down on all fours against the mattress. 

Oliver’s eyes narrowed immediately, squinting harshly at her the moment he realized she’d disobeyed his command.  Felicity had no idea what repercussions that would bring, but her nipples tightened at the thought. A slow smile spread across her lips. “Oliver, baby, come and get me. And bring the fucking hat.”

He groaned, crushing the stiff brown brim within his fingers, and Felicity feared he might actually break his neck leaping over the pile of assorted crap on the floor in order to tackle her.

So began one of their most energetic rounds of lovemaking ever.

And, now that it was over, Felicity lay against her pillow, having one hell of a time wiping the ridiculous grin off her face.  She could feel the heat radiating off of Oliver’s naked body as he rested so close beside her, and it made her skin thrum continuously.  She sat up a bit, just enough to reach down to the end of the mattress and pick up her boss’s odd little treasure.  Flopping back onto their bed, she rotated the hat in the air. “You know, Oliver, no matter how I look at this, I just can’t picture it on your head.  Can you please tell me why on earth you own a cowboy hat?”

“Don’t I seem like the cowboy type?”

“Um…no.”

His body rumbled beside her as he chuckled. “Barry got it for me one year as a birthday present.”

“ _Barry_ bought you a cowboy hat?” 

“Yup. He always buys me weird things I don’t need, because he says I have everything.  Also, he says you buy the gifts so he should really get you something instead of me, anyway.”

“Your brother is so silly. What other weird things has he bought you?”

Oliver rolled on his side to look at her.  “Once he got me a plastic animatronic fish that hangs on the wall and sings oldies tunes. Another time he got me a helmet that holds a beer can on each side, with tubing that goes into your mouth so you can drink out of both cans at once.”

She smiled into his eyes. “Well, that sure is handy. I’m surprised I haven’t seen you wear that.”

“Maybe I’ll wear it to work Monday.”

Giggling, Felicity leaned over to set the cowboy hat on the nightstand before turning back to him. “Didn’t he ever get you _anything_ useful?”

Oliver reached out to run his fingers across the smooth line of her collarbone, just beneath the necklace. “A few years back, he did buy me a bunch of blankets.”

“ _Blankets_?  Oh my gosh, like the grumpy bear from your bedtime story?”

“Well, according to that story, once the bear’s brother gives him blankets, he’s not supposed to be grumpy anymore.”

“Yeah? How’s that working out for you?”

“I don’t know, what do you think?”

“Hmm…I think that now, since we’re not being so physically active anymore, I’m a little chilly. I want one of those blankets. Where are they?”

Oliver’s shoulders dropped. “In the hall closet.”

“Oh, I am going to get one right now!”  She squealed as she slid out of the bed, padding across the floor and into the hallway. Opening the closet door, she stared at the stacks and stacks of blankets filling shelf after shelf. All colors, all sizes, all materials. “Holy cow, Oliver, how many did Barry buy you?”

His voice sounded funny as he replied.  “Um, five?”

“ _Five_?  But there must be at least thirty in here.”

“Yeah, I kinda collected them over the years.” 

She peered around the corner to see his face.  “You _collected_ them?”

“Just from time to time, if I was out and I saw a nice one, I’d buy it.”  He shook his head.  “Please don’t tell Barry. I’ll never live it down.”

Felicity grinned at the adorably fragile look in his eyes.  “Don’t worry; I won’t say a word.  Which is your favorite?”

Oliver didn’t hesitate. “The green one with the arrows on it.”

Felicity grabbed said blanket from the top of one stack and ran her fingers over the little white arrows embroidered across the smooth surface.  Hugging it to her chest, she walked back to the bed and climbed in beside him, spreading the soft fabric over them both. Oliver snuggled into her immediately, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, burying his face in her hair. She breathed in his scent, a mix of spice and sex, a heady combination that made her want to be even closer, to melt into him in their cocoon of green.  She could hardly believe that the blanket-hoarder beside her was the same practical, commanding boss she’d worked under for the last six years. He was just such a...puppy dog.

“So, Oliver, will you answer a question for me?”

“Hmm, anything for you,” he murmured into her neck.

She grinned as goose bumps rose up on her skin.  “I just want to know what is so special about this particular blanket.”

Oliver pulled back, just a little, and Felicity turned her head on the pillow in order to look him in the eye.  He reached out, brushing a hair from her face and curling it behind her ear.  “When Barry and I were kids, our parents would be gone a lot at night, attending different social functions.  We had a nanny, but when it came to bedtime, Barry wanted me there to read him _Grumpy_ _Bear_ and sit with him until he fell asleep. But, no matter how late I stayed with him, he was still afraid of things that went bump in the night. He would have these crazy nightmares about our mom getting killed in the living room downstairs; it was really bizarre.  And he would wake up screaming and I would go running into his room and he would just be shaking all over.”

“Oh, poor little guy. That sounds awful.”

“Yeah, it was. I remember feeling helpless, not knowing what to do when he was so scared in the middle of the night, so I decided to try to fix it during the day.  Barry had bought a bow and arrow set with his allowance and he was so proud of it, even though it was just a little plastic toy.  I used to tell him to imagine shooting arrows in any bad guys that came along, because that’s how he could keep the people he loved safe. So we would practice shooting arrows together during the day, and then his nightmares got better. And even though we were just kids, those arrows became a symbol of love and protection and strength for us. For me.”

Felicity ran her fingers down Oliver’s arm, to catch his hand in hers.  “Is that why you named the firm Arrow Architecture?”

He nodded. “Yes.  That business, that building – it represents strength and protection to me.  And I love it; I always have.”

She smiled brilliantly as she squeezed onto his fingers.  It felt so good to finally know why he’d chosen that name.  Like she was finally burrowing inside him, inside the hard shell he’d wrapped himself in for so long.  Felicity wanted to stay here forever, where it was soft and warm and safe.

Oliver leaned over to press a tender kiss to her mouth and Felicity hummed against his lips, blissful beyond belief. When he pulled back, she looked into his eyes and her heart stopped, just for a moment, at the emotion staring back at her.  “I have to be truthful, Oliver. The first day I stepped into your office, I would never have guessed you were a grumpy bear in need of blankets.”

He eased his palm across hers and then ran his fingers up and down her arm.  “No?  What did you think of me that first day?”

Her lips curved upwards as she considered that life-altering moment, so many years ago.  “Well, it was my first real job interview out of school, so I was super-nervous to meet you.  I remember pacing around my apartment that morning, not knowing what to wear. But I had this sweater that my grandma knitted for me when I went to college, and it always made me happy, so even though it probably wasn’t very professional, and I really should have worn something else, I just put it on.”

Oliver smiled. “It was red.”

Her lips parted on a gasp and she nodded.

He looked down to her hand and started playing with her fingers.  “So, what did you think when you first saw me?”

She nibbled against her lip. “Well, of course, I thought you were cute.”

“Cute?”

“Yes, Oliver, you’re cute.”

He grinned, all toothy and dimply and sparkly-eyed.

Felicity giggled. “But, even though I thought you were cute, I also thought you were a little scary.”

“Me? Scary?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you, scary – but in an exciting sort of way.  And then, when I got past being afraid of you, I realized very quickly that you were brilliant. And that you were kind and helpful, even if you were a shut-in.”

He chuckled. “You always saw the best in me.”

“Oh, it was pretty easy, once I looked past your crusty outer shell.”

Oliver lifted his head from the pillow, eyebrow cocked.  “My crusty shell?”

“Yes, hard and burnt and crusty, like a marshmallow left on the campfire too long.”

“Hmm,” he considered, propping his head in one hand as he looked down into her eyes. “Well thank goodness you had a crush on me, Felicity. Otherwise, you’d never have bothered to look past all that.”

Her heart stopped as shock plastered her face.  “ _A_ _crush?_ _What?_ What on earth are you talking about?”

Oliver drew one finger down her forehead, and then touched the tip of her nose, before dropping his hand to her shoulder.  “There’s no need to deny it; I always knew you had a crush on me.  Hell, you were so innocent and sweet, straight out of college. Eager and excited and so damn beautiful. You used to get all flustered around me and you would babble nonstop, dropping these incredibly inappropriate sexual innuendos before you even realized what you’d said. And you used to look at me with your blue eyes wide behind your glasses, like you were amazed by every word out of my mouth.”

She attempted to swallow against her suddenly dry throat.  “I…um…”

He chuckled. “I’ve known for six years, Felicity. I always tried to stay professional back then, to pretend I wasn’t aware of your feelings. And yet, no matter how stone-faced I forced myself to be around you, I still couldn’t help thinking about you. I couldn’t help wondering why you latched onto me the way you did.  But I never found an answer…not until this week.  You may have learned that I was a grumpy bear in need of blankets, but I’ve learned that you were a huge-hearted young woman who’d lost her dad, and her dog, and whose entire family moved away, leaving her alone and basically homeless. You were looking for someone to fill that void, because your big, sweet heart needed someone to take care of, and I just thank the heavens that I was in the right place at the right time.”   

Felicity stared at him, her lips parted, not knowing what to say.  She could barely believe the words she’d just heard.  Oliver Queen knew her.  And she’d always known this man in her arms, but she never _really_ knew him.  Not until this moment.  She wished it had happened so much sooner.  But now here she lay, wrapped in his warm embrace, knowing she couldn’t deny a word he’d said. And she smiled with her whole heart, suddenly giddy with the joy of it all, and inched her body forward, just to be a little closer to him.  “Okay, then,” she breathed, “I’ll admit that maybe I had a crush.”

Oliver sighed the moment she said the words.  “Please say it again,” he encouraged with politeness, although the look in his eyes was positively demanding. “Say it like you mean it.”

“Alright,” she agreed, unable to prevent the wild grin that curved her lips.  “I had a crush on you the moment I met you, Oliver Queen. A terrific, awful, fantastic, overwhelming crush. Full of impure, dangerous, beastly, lustful thoughts.”

“God, _yes_ ,” he huffed beneath his breath, his fingers easing down her chest and across her stomach, his eyes drinking in the sight of her bared skin as if he’d never seen it before.  “Well, well, well.  It turns out my sweet little secretary wanted her big, bad boss.”  His voice lowered as he drew lazy circles around her belly button. “What did you want me to do to you, Felicity? Bend you over on my desk? Or maybe your desk? Or take you up against the wall, or perhaps on the copy machine?  Did you want me to make love to you, or did you want me to fuck you? Or both?  I prefer doing both, especially at the same time.” He looked back to her eyes, his deep blue filled with both desire and regret.  “It’s too bad it never happened.  It’s too bad you got over your crush.”

She pressed her lips together on a moan, trying to keep herself from admitting everything.

“When did you stop wanting me?” he wondered aloud, tracing the edges of her hips with heated fingertips. “Was it when you dated that guy the year after you started?  What was his name – Clay?”

“Ray.”

“Oh, yeah, I remember. Well, I don’t, really. I thought it was Clay.”

“It was Ray.”

“Hmm. So tell me, is he the reason you stopped wanting me?”

Felicity tried to think straight as his hand moved lower, easing across her thighs.  Then she propped up on her elbow in order to look him in the eye. “Well, if you knew I had a crush, why didn’t you do anything about it?  If you’d even looked sideways at me, I would have fallen into your arms, all dramatic and swoon-like.  We could have been doing all of this for the last six years.”

He dragged his hand slowly back up to her belly, then up further still, to smooth across the underside of her breast.  “Yeah, looking back now, it seems ridiculous that I didn’t do something.  But, at the time, you were one of my first employees and I was so focused on running the business.  And then there was the age issue; you were so much younger than me.”

“We’re not that many years apart.”

He glanced into her eyes. “It felt like we were.”

“Oliver, I was 22 and you were 28.  Now I’m 28 and you’re…” Felicity paused, grinning devilishly as she gazed into him.  “Oh, wait, I see what you mean.  You are older than _dirt_.  Maybe we should stop having sex.  We need to respect your brittle bones.”

Oliver arched up, forcing her onto her back and crawling on top of her.  “I’ll show you brittle,” he growled.

“And you’ll give me a bone?”

He laughed out loud, his head falling against her shoulder, and the rumbling of his body incensed her nerve endings.  He nipped at the skin across her collarbone, teeth razing her flesh.  Felicity made a garbled groaning sound in the back of her throat and shivered.

Oliver chuckled again. “And there’s something else I’ve learned about you, my sweet Felicity.”

“Oh, yeah? What is that?”

He raised his head, looking into her eyes.  “You like it when I bite you.”

“Maybe. A little.” 

“A _lot_.”

Felicity sighed. “Okay, a lot,” she admitted, reaching up to trace the stubble across his jawline.  “It’s just that I have this fantasy about you in Victorian times, wearing a cape like Dracula.” 

“ _Dracula_?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, I see. Is that something you used to think about when you had your crush?”

She nibbled her lip. “Perhaps.”

He resituated himself on top of her, his escalating erection pressing against her thigh.   “So tell me, Felicity, do you want me to bite you more?”

“Well, you don’t need to gnaw on me like Hannibal Lector or anything, but a few love bites here and there might be nice.”

Felicity expected him to laugh again, but instead Oliver stilled. _“Love_ bites?”

She didn’t miss the inflection in his echoed whisper.  She didn’t miss the way the word _love_ made her body shudder, lighting a warm glow inside her chest.  She threaded her fingers into his hair, keeping him close to her as she smiled.  “Okay, Oliver, I’ll admit you’ve figured me out; I do enjoy a good bite.  But I’ve got you figured out, too.”

“You do?”

“Oh yes. I know your dirty little secret.”

His brow rose. “And what would that be?”

“You totally love butts.”

Oliver chuckled. “Your butt in particular, actually. It’s fucking magnificent. And anyway, that’s not a secret; all men love butts.  Baby got back, junk in the trunk.  All that.”

“So, you admit you are an Ass Man.”

“I prefer Ass Vampire, thank you.”

Her instantaneous fit of giggles was interrupted as he arched up, grabbed her around the waist, and flipped her over on her stomach, all in one swift motion.  Felicity thought to put up a fight, but he had both of her arms pinned above her head before she could form conscious thought. Oliver leaned over her, nibbling on her neck before growling into her ear.  “Now just sit still, cowgirl, because I have work to do.”

Felicity squeaked as he nipped his way across her back and then farther and farther down, until he reached one butt cheek and tugged a good bit of flesh between his teeth. And then she hummed in the back of her throat, taken by the deep pleasure inherent in that tiny bit of pain. “Damn, baby,” she mumbled against the mattress, “I’m not gonna be able to sit down for the rest of the week.”

Oliver merely smiled and continued.

... 

**A/N:**   Hi darlings! I really hope you enjoyed this post; I’d love to hear what you think, as always.  :) Tina.  Up Next…Chapter 15: The Human Shield and The Human Tornado


	15. The Human Shield and The Human Tornado

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry about the bit of delay in posting; I was in the midst of my yearly celebratory trifecta (when Mother's Day, my birthday, and Nurse's Week all fall together) and my family tends to look at me funny when I try to sneak away into a corner to be alone with my laptop...go figure! So, a few of you asked how long this fic would be and I now have an answer...20 chapters. Is this good? Bad? Ugly? I do not know; I only know I'm a bit nervous to post this chapter because it feels like a turning point, in a way. I certainly hope you like it :)

“I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re here today, Janice,” Felicity said, smiling at the grandmotherly woman by her side.

Janice’s blue eyes twinkled like Santa’s as they walked down the hall from Felicity’s office to the Arrow Architecture employee lounge. “This seems like a very nice place to work.”

“Oh, it is,” Felicity asserted, thrilled to have a warm body beside her as she faced her coworkers for the first time since The Great Revelation at Angelo’s on Friday night.  Felicity stepped into the lounge and spotted Diggle and Roy sitting at a table, sharing donuts. Their eyes lit with devilish joy the moment they caught sight of her.  Roy’s lecherous grin consumed his face, but as he opened his mouth to say something Felicity knew would be particularly lewd, she cut him off before he had the chance to start.  “John Diggle, Roy Harper – I’d like you to meet Janice Barton, Mr. Queen’s new secretary. She’ll shadow me all week and then take over next Monday.”

One look at the cherubic older lady made Diggle and Roy straighten in their plastic chairs. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Barton,” they chimed.

“You too, boys.  Are those donuts you’re eating?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Hmm. Have you had a _proper_ breakfast?”

Diggle hung his head, staring at the sugary glaze coating his fingers. Roy cleared his throat, fidgeting.

Felicity smiled so hard it hurt.  “Alright, well, this is the lounge, Janice.  And Diggle and Roy work in Accounting; you can talk more later. Let’s move on with the tour, shall we?”

Janice managed to smile at the two men and look disappointed in them simultaneously.  As they walked out, Roy and Diggle remained speechless.  It was a beautiful sound.

Leading Janice back through the hallway, Felicity realized that she’d never had a human shield before.  She liked it very much.  She’d dreaded this day for so many reasons: the first Monday of her last week at Arrow Architecture; the first day in the office after the entire staff found out about her affair; the first time she would look at her distinguished, amazing, wonderful, grumpy-bear boss in his thick leather office chair and know, without a doubt, that she’d made a complete mess of everything.

Felicity _enjoyed_ having a human shield against her gossip-mongering coworkers, but she _required_ protection from Oliver.  Or at least from the way her chest imploded every time he looked at her. If she busied herself teaching Janice the ropes, then she wouldn’t be able to think about the sweetness of Oliver’s smile, or the brightness of his eyes, or the warmth of his heart. She wouldn’t be able to think about how her entire body and soul reached out for him, begging to stay in the cocoon of his arms forever and ever.  And she wouldn’t be able to think about how there was no way, on the face of this planet, that she could leave him Friday without being reduced to a quivering mass of Jell-O.     

Her feet stopped automatically when they arrived at his door.  “And now I’ll introduce you to Mr. Queen,” Felicity managed to say over the churning of her stomach.  She’d avoided this moment as long as possible, had lingered unnecessarily in every other room of the building.  They stood at the solid black entrance to his boss-cave and she inhaled deeply, pressing her glasses up higher on her nose and pushing a few of her loose curls back over her shoulder.

“Why is his door the only one closed?” Janice asked.

“Well, he’s a very structured worker.  He prefers solitude, but will be there if you need him for anything.” Felicity shook her head, smiling as she added, “Don’t let him intimidate you, Janice; his bark is definitely worse than his bite.”

Janice took a step back as Felicity knocked.

“Come in.”  His deep voice sent shivers down her spine. 

Felicity opened the door.  Oliver looked up from his desk, pinning his blue eyes on her.  He smiled, slow and sexy, and Felicity’s pulse leapt.

“I missed you,” he said.  “It’s only been hours but I can’t think about anything else.”

“Oliver, I…”

“Damn, I want you, Felicity.  I’m going to spread you out on this desk and…”

“ _MISTER QUEEN!_ I – I have to introduce you to your new secretary.”  Felicity sidestepped and pulled Janice up beside her.  “This is Janice Barton.  She’ll be replacing me.”

Oliver jumped out of his seat, raking his fingers through his hair. He moved around the desk, clearing the distance of the room in a moment and coming to stand in front of them. “It’s a pleasure, Ms. Barton,” he said, reaching out to shake her hand.

Felicity stared at the floor, trying to compose herself.

“It’s _Mrs_. Barton,” Janice corrected as the firm handshake ended.  “Been married almost forty years now.”

“Wow, that…sounds amazing.”  Oliver glanced at Felicity, smiling briefly before turning back.  “I take it Miss Smoak is getting you acquainted with the office?”

“Oh, yes.  She’s wonderful. I can see I have some big shoes to fill.”

“Yes,” he said.  “That is an understatement.”

Felicity’s mouth went dry and she cleared her throat, redirecting her attention to the older woman.  “So, um, we should probably go back to my office now and get started on the computer system.”

“Yes, that sounds good, dear. Nice meeting you, Mr. Queen.”

“You too.  Please let me know if you need anything, although I’m sure Felicity has it all under control.”

Felicity grimaced. _Good Lord, Oliver has never been so wrong.  I have nothing under control.  Nothing at all._ Reaching out, Felicity patted her human shield on the arm.  “Come on, Janice, let’s head back.”

Janice nodded and started down the hall and Felicity began following, until she felt Oliver’s hand on her back.  He’d stepped up behind her, his body hot and full against hers, and Felicity’s footing faltered. “I’ll see you later, Miss Smoak,” he whispered into her hair. 

Having difficulty looking at him, and even more difficulty just breathing normally when he’d heated all the air around her, Felicity nodded wordlessly and stepped away, following Janice into her office.

Oliver’s new secretary stood inside the door as Felicity rounded the corner. She tried looking nonplussed. “So, where were we? Oh, yes, the computer.”

Janice’s kind eyes held hers.  “Mr. Queen seems nice.”

“Yes, he is. He’s…”  _Incredible. Intelligent.  Gorgeous.  Giving. And I am more in love with him than I ever thought possible._  

“I take it you two are together?”

“Well, yes, but Friday’s my last day, so…”  Felicity paused, her mind swimming until she blinked away her thoughts. “You know what, let’s, um, let’s dive into the computer now, and then I’ll introduce you to Laurel. She’s Tommy Merlyn’s secretary, so she’ll be your best resource person.  If you have any questions after I’m gone, you can always go to her.”

Janice smiled.  “Alright.”

Felicity walked around her desk and stared at the computer, forcing her mind away from the man down the hall.

... 

Hours later, Felicity finally had a few moments to herself. While shifting side to side in her office chair, she realized for the first time today just how sore she was. She attempted to focus on her computer screen while the leather chair creaked in conjunction with her uncomfortable movements.

Honestly, Felicity didn’t really want this time alone.  Janice was with Laurel right now, probably being assaulted with more office tales than she could handle, and Felicity missed her human shield.  Janice provided a much needed distraction from Felicity’s tumultuous thoughts.  Like how her apartment no longer felt like home.  And how her bed seemed way too small and cold to sleep in again. And how the prospect of life without the man she so desperately loved sounded like the worst kind of hell.

“Hey.” Oliver’s voice came from her doorway.

Felicity looked up to where he stood, with one shoulder resting against the doorframe, and her eyes found his. Her heart melted, just a little bit more, each and every time she saw him.  “Hey.”

“You’re fidgety today.”

“How long have you been standing there?”

His lips pulled up in a crooked grin.  “Long enough to see you wriggling in your chair.”

Felicity leaned back, shifting the weight of her body once again. “That would be your fault, you know.”

“Yeah? How so?” he questioned, pushing away from the door and walking toward her.

“Well, you see, your ass-vampirism tendencies, while desirable, are accompanied by some soreness. In order to sit down, I have to keep moving from cheek to cheek.”

Oliver came around her desk to stand in front of her, stopping only when he was so close that she had to crane her neck to look up at him.  He grinned at her with sparks of light in his bright blue eyes.  “I’m sorry about that.  It was a new experience for me, and I may have gotten a little overzealous with my fantasy fulfillment duties.”

“Oh no, Oliver, you don’t need to apologize.  I certainly wouldn’t have stopped you anyway, even if I knew it meant that this chair would become my mortal enemy.”

He chuckled, but the amusement in his eyes only lasted a moment before he crossed his arms over his chest and stared her down.  “Well then, Miss Smoak, how about you consider that soreness a preemptive punishment?”

“ _Punishment?_   For what?"

“Seriously? Did you get the oldest secretary you could find?”

Felicity smiled up at him. “Oh, you’re just lucky she still has all her teeth.”

“Hmm, I see. So, am I to conclude from this that Felicity is jealous?”

She huffed out a laugh as she tossed her loose curls back, attempting to sit still and look him squarely in the eye.  “For your information, Mr. Queen, Janice had the best qualifications.  She’s a professional, and she’s a mother of four and a grandmother of six, so she’ll be able to handle this crazy conglomeration of personalities you call a staff.  She also has tremendous organizational skills.”

Oliver unfolded his huge arms and took a step forward, placing one hand on each armrest of her chair. He leaned all the way down into her, until he could nudge the tip of her nose with his own.  “I think you’re jealous,” he whispered, “and I love it.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’m not jel…” 

He shut her up with a warm, smooth kiss.  And damn if she didn’t enjoy the hell out of being silenced this way.  Oliver nipped at her lips and licked her tongue and stole her breath and Felicity wanted to just forget everything in the world except for them. She wanted to get crazy with him, right now, in _her_ chair for once…but she knew she couldn’t.  “Oliver, no,” she sighed against his lips.  “Someone might walk in.”

“I don’t care if anyone walks in.  As of Friday night, the whole staff knows about us.”  He eased back, his gaze finding hers.  “And as of this morning, I think Janice knows, too.”

Felicity shook her head. “It was pretty hard to miss. You’re lucky I interrupted your little speech before you embarrassed us both to death.”

He stood back up, straightening to his full height.  “I’m not embarrassed, Felicity.”

“Well, I am! She’s a grandmother, for goodness’ sake!”

“I’m sure she knows all about the birds and the bees.”

“Yeah, it’s one thing to know about them, it’s another thing to have rabid swarms unleashed in your face.” Felicity watched the tempting sparkle in his eyes as he laughed.  She licked her lips, tasting him on her skin.  “Oliver, you know I hate to say this, but now that Janice is here, we’re going to have to slow down quite a bit.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m going to be training her this entire week.  I can’t exactly disappear into your office for an hour without arousing any suspicions, especially after that little display this morning. Janice will know exactly what we’re up to, and that is wrong on way too many levels.  So you and I are just going to have to ease off on the conjugal visits.”

The look in his eyes was nothing short of sheer horror.  “Oh, no, that is completely unacceptable.  If I only have five days left with you in this office, I will need you _more_ , not less.”

“Oliver…”

“No, Felicity. No protests, no discussions. I will need you _more_.  Why do you even think I’m here right now?”

Felicity nibbled her lip. “Um…because you wanted to see my Robin Hood poster?”

He smirked at her. “No, actually. It’s a lovely poster, but that’s not why I’m here at all.  I came because I was tired of waiting for you to be done with whatever you were doing. I was tired of waiting for you to come back to my office… _alone_. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and come to you.”

Felicity edged forward in her chair, giddily gazing up into his eyes.  “Oh, I can see this all so clearly now.  What you’re telling me, Mr. Queen, is that you just made a booty call.”

His eyebrow quirked upward. “Did you just say the words _booty call_ to me?”

She grinned wildly. “Yes.  Yes, I did.”

“Felicity, I will have you know that I have never made a booty call in my entire life.”

“You mean until ten minutes ago, when you left your office to walk down the hallway and into my office, for the express purpose of having sex with me.”

His eyes narrowed as he glared at her for a long minute.  “I do not make booty calls.”

She couldn’t help giggling as she watched his escalating irritation.  “I realize it’s not the most elegant terminology, Mr. Queen, but I’m just calling a spade a spade.  Did you or did you not travel down the hall and into my office in order to have your way with me?”

Oliver’s hard stare never wavered as he stepped closer to her, his massive, stately body looming over her chair as he looked down to her lips.  “So, the point you’re trying to make, Miss Smoak, is that because I left my office with the complete and utter intention of coming in here to get you – to lift you up from that chair, spread you out on this desk, push your skirt up to your waist, pull off your panties with my teeth, bury my face between your thighs, and then lick and suck on you until you scream my name while you come on my tongue – you’re saying those intentions indicate that this is actually a booty call?”

Felicity’s mouth hung open, her eyes wide behind her glasses.  All she could do was nod.

Oliver smiled wickedly in her amenable silence.  He leaned down once again, placing his hands back on the armrests as he looked into her. “Well then, I stand corrected, Miss Smoak.  This is definitely a booty call.”

Her fingers trembled in her lap as she watched him.  _Damn it!  Why is he so much better at this than I am?   It’s totally unfair!_ “You know we, uh, we can’t, um, do any of _that_ in here.”

“Really? Why not?  I do own the building, after all.”

She sighed in frustration, a good portion of which was sexual.  “Oliver, you know Janice or Laurel or anybody else could literally walk through that door at any moment.”

“Then come back to my office with me.  No one dares to enter there.”

“But I already told you, we can’t just spend all our time in your office.  It’s not right.”

He shook his head. “You’re making this difficult, Felicity. But as I said, I’m not taking _no_ for an answer. If we can’t be in here, and we can’t be in my office, we’ll simply have to find another place. What about the copy room?”

Her brow rose. “The copy room?”

Oliver slid his hands from the armrests onto her thighs, his warm fingers tightening over the thin material of her skirt.  “Yes, the copy room. I know you’re not going to sit here and tell me that you’ve never had a fantasy about you and I together in there.”

His thumbs shifted slowly across her legs and Felicity swore she could feel his skin on hers, even though there was no actual contact of flesh on flesh.  She wanted nothing more than to have him reach up under her skirt right now, to touch her like he did in the front seat of his Mercedes on Friday night. Swallowing hard, she managed to squeak out the sound, “Um…”

Oliver’s fingers drifted farther down her legs, coming dangerously close to the hemline just above her knee.  “I need you to do something for me right now,” he urged in a heated whisper.  “I need you to think back to the past.  Think back to when you had your overwhelming, beastly, lustful crush on me.  Can you do that for me? Can you remember when you were the sweet little secretary who wanted her big, bad boss?  Can you remember just how much you craved me then?”

Speechless, Felicity nodded again, unable to stop her head from making the motion.

Oliver smiled, the look in his eyes pure sin.  “That’s good. I want you to remember those feelings you used to have, back when your desires overtook all your logical thoughts. I want you to remember when I was everything you wanted, when I was _all_ you wanted.” He paused for a moment, letting the words sink into her skin.  “Do you remember it, Felicity?  Do you remember it well?”

“Y-yes.”

“Perfect. Now tell me…did you fantasize about the two of us, naked and hot and sweaty, in that copy room together?”

Her lips parted, but no sound would come out.

Oliver continued to stare into her.  “I can see the gears in your mind turning, and it makes me wonder what’s going on in there. Are you going to try to deny this? Are you actually going to sit here and tell me that you never wanted me to take you into that room? Are you going to tell me you didn’t _ache_ for it? Are you going to tell me you never, ever wanted me to strip you bare and fuck you senseless on one of those machines?”

Felicity reached for the armrests of her chair, her damp palms sliding across the leather. “Uh…no…of course I didn’t want that…”

A wicked grin spread across his lips. “You’re a terrible liar, Felicity.”

She managed to hold her tongue for one more minute.  And then she rolled her eyes as all the air left her lungs in a rush.  “Damn you and your crazy sexiness, Oliver Queen! Alright, yes!  _Yes_. I thought about it all the time back then. Hell, I thought about it last week. I even thought about it an hour ago, which made it really hard to look Janice in the eye, let me tell you. So yes, I absolutely want you to take me in there!  I want you to plow right into me while that copier takes multiple obscene pictures of my bare ass! So there! Are you _happy_ now?”

He smiled so deeply that little dimples puckered into his cheeks, and the beauty of it actually caused her physical pain.  Oliver’s voice moved across her skin as he replied, his words caressing her as sure as any touch.  “I don’t think _happy_ can even begin to describe what I’m feeling with you, my sweet Felicity.  All I know is we’re going to the copy room. Right now.”

She shook her head, her sensible side still trying desperately to keep touch with reality. “But…but…there’s no lock on that door.”

“Miss Smoak, do you actually think there’s any world in which that would stop me from doing what I want to do to you?”

Her pulse sputtered. “Good Lord, you’re just temptation incarnate, aren’t you?”

He answered her with a silly grin and a kiss on the tip of her nose and Felicity nearly grabbed him by the hair and dragged him to the copy room herself.  But she knew it just wasn’t possible.  “ _Mr. Queen_ ,” she forced herself to say, “I know it feels like we’re safe here in this office because we’ve done a lot of things over the past few weeks and haven’t been caught. But that copy room? People go in there all the time. It is not safe at all. And I will not have anyone else here seeing _us_ doing _that_.”

“Doing _that_?” he echoed with amusement. 

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, Felicity, I know exactly what you mean.  And if it makes you feel better, I will close the door firmly behind us and jam a chair securely up under the knob.  No one will be there. No one but you and me…and the copy machine.”  He edged forward again, pressing heated kisses to the nape of her neck before whispering in her ear, “I promise I’ll turn that room into a fortress, just for us. But you should also be aware that it’s not going to even matter to you, because I’m going to fuck you so hard that you’re not even going to know where you are, let alone care.”

She moaned deep in the back of her throat, her knuckles turning white against the armrests. “O-Oliver, do you know how much one of those machines costs?”

He eased back to glance at her face. “I don’t know. A grand, maybe?”

“Try several grand.”

“So?”

“So we could very well break it.”

“It’ll be worth it.”

“Mr. Queen!”

He pressed his mouth roughly to hers, tasting and teasing her before nibbling on her lower lip. When he finally pulled back to meet her eyes, his deep blue looked nearly black.  “Miss Smoak,” he rasped against her skin, “does that machine make color copies?”

Felicity’s heart pounded against her ribcage.  “Yes.”

“Do we have any poster paper we could use?”

“Why do you need poster paper?”

“Because I want a full-color poster of your ass, of course.”

“I…uh…um…” She looked into his absurdly perfect face and her mind went blank for a full minute.  And then words just started pouring out of her mouth. “I don’t know if we have any poster board.  But, even if we did, it certainly wouldn’t fit in that copier.  I’m pretty sure that machine only takes 11 by 14 inches, at the most. We do have some nice paper in 11 by 14 – it’s my personal favorite, which is 24-pound, 97 brightness – and it would do a good job, in my opinion.  But then I think we might also have some actual photo paper in stock, although it would just be your standard 8 ½ by 11 inches, of course, but it’s a 5-star glossy photo paper, which is really nice, unless you’re more interested in a matte finish. But they’re both smudge-proof, so I’d say either one would do well for what you have in mind…”

Her words trailed off as she watched the glow of amusement light up Oliver’s face. Chuckles emanated from low in his chest, skittering across her skin.  Felicity shook her head.  “Oh my gosh, I am so sorry,” she offered.  “You probably weren’t looking for that much information, were you? Dear Lord, I’m just terrible at this whole dirty-talk thing, aren’t I?”

He smiled broadly, containing his laughter as he shook his head.  “No, no, it’s good information.  Very helpful.  I like it.” He pulled one of his hands from her thigh to reach up and cup her cheek, grounding them both. “I love it, actually.”

Felicity’s pulse sputtered at the words and she watched in awe as he eased in closer to her, the heat of his body wrapping around her like a blanket.  He stared into her eyes, their foreheads nearly touching. “Do you know what I’m going to do after I take a photo of your ass with that smudge-proof, 8 ½ by 11 inch, 5-star glossy photo paper, Felicity?”

“You – you’ve actually thought about what you’re going to do with it?”

Oliver nodded slowly. “Oh, yes.  I’ve thought about little else all day, to be honest.”

Her mouth ran dry and she licked her lips.  “What are you going to do with it?”

“I’m going to plaster that picture inside my desk drawer.  That way, anytime I want to, all I have to do is open the drawer to look at my beautiful photo.” He took a moment to pepper her lips with multitudinous tiny kisses, soft and slow.  “I know you know how boring some of our client meetings can get.”

“I – I am aware.”

“Well, I don’t ever have to worry about dealing with that anymore.  Because all I’ll have to do is pretend I need a pen, and reach into my desk drawer, and that client will have no idea that I’m staring at the most magnificent ass the world has ever seen – the one I’ve had my hands and mouth all over – the one I’ve had in my teeth.”

Flames of red shot into Felicity’s neck and cheeks and she shifted in her chair, trying like hell to ease the ache he’d created between her legs with his indecent words and sinful stare.

Oliver took a step back, distancing himself in order to see her entire face.  “Damn, that’s amazing,” he sighed. 

“What’s amazing?”

“It’s just…it’s amazing to me that you can blush, so innocently and so beautifully, from a few mere words, when at the same time you’re squirming in your seat from the bite marks I physically placed on your skin.”

Felicity just stared at him then, just stared at the depth of appreciation glowing in his eyes, and decided she was tired as hell of fighting this.  Sitting bolt upright in her chair, she looked him squarely in the eye. “That’s not why I’m squirming in my seat right now,” she announced.  Then she grabbed hold of his tie and yanked him down to her.  Their lips crashed together and she pushed her tongue into his mouth, seeking some small taste of everything her body begged for. Oliver responded instantly, reaching back to the armrests for support as her chair groaned beneath them. Felicity’s entire body thrummed at the contact of his tongue with hers, and she simply couldn’t believe what this man did to her on every level. 

After several eager, messy minutes, Felicity pulled back just enough to catch her breath. “You know, Mr. Queen,” she murmured against his lips, “you certainly do have a filthy mind.”

He inhaled deeply. “Hmm…that would be your fault, you know.”

“It would?”

“Absolutely. I think you know I wasn’t like this a few weeks ago.  But now…”  

His voice trailed off and Felicity locked her eyes onto his.  “But now?” she echoed, wanting – no, _needing_ – to hear the end of that sentence. 

Oliver smiled softly as he met her intent gaze.  “Now I just can’t imagine living my life any other way.”

Her heart filled inside her chest, to the point where she couldn’t imagine it being any fuller without bursting, and she smiled back.  But it didn’t last long, because Oliver instantly erased her grin with his lips, drinking her in, his teeth hitting hers as he kissed her with frantic intensity. Felicity whimpered in the back of her throat as he pushed her back farther, the chair bending beneath the strength of his body.  Oliver groaned in response to her little mewls and she ached for him, with every part of her being.

“Felicity?” he whispered against her mouth.

Reaching her free hand to his chest, she tugged on a shirt button.  “Yes, Oliver?”

“Tell me I can take pictures of your ass.  Tell me you want me to do it.  Insist on it,” he begged. “Oh, and also, I really need you to call me _baby_ while you make your demands.”

She giggled against his lips and then peered up into his scandalously deep blue eyes.  “Oliver,” she began, working to get her words out past her shallow breaths, “will you please take me into the copy room now? Because I can’t even tell you how many times your sweet little secretary wished her big, bad boss would fuck her senseless on one of those machines.”

He growled as he gripped the armrests and Felicity tightened her hold on his tie. “Oh, and _baby_ ,” she whispered, “I will definitely need you to take full-color, glossy pictures of my bare ass and put them in your desk drawer. Because then, wherever I am in this world, and whatever fantasies I’m having about you, I’ll know that you’re fantasizing about me, too.”

Oliver stilled with her words, turning motionless, as he looked her in the eye. And she was caught off guard by the emotion she saw staring back at her…emotion that was so much more than just desire. “You know, Felicity,” he said, his voice raw with need and hope, “it’s not fantasizing anymore if you actually get to do it. If you just make the decision to live it, then it becomes real.  As real as you want it to be.  As real as we both want it to be.”

Her heart stopped for a beat but she didn’t look away.  “I suppose you’re right, Oliver.”

He blinked several times when he heard her, unable to mask the look of astonishment on his face. “I am right,” he said. “Please, _please_ tell me you know that I’m right.”

She didn’t have a chance to answer, because he kissed her again – swallowing her words with his mouth, swallowing her thoughts with his actions.  And she let herself live with him, right here in this moment, because there was nowhere else she could imagine being.  There was nowhere else she could imagine ever wanting to be.

The chair complained again as he bent her back, his fingers white-knuckling the armrests as their tongues entwined. Felicity threaded the material of his tie more intricately between her fingers, holding him here, not wanting to let go. Not ever. 

She pressed her eyelids shut as she swam in the sensations of Oliver’s body.  And she never heard the approaching footsteps that stopped in front of her office door.  But there was a little part of her brain that registered the disapproving clucking noise coming from the hallway.  And she definitely heard the second, decidedly louder, throat clearing. 

Oliver didn’t care. He just kept kissing her, either oblivious or unconcerned.  But Felicity couldn’t help wondering who waited impatiently at her door.  Was it Roy, revving up to yell at them about getting a room? Was it Laurel, already rolling her eyes? Was it Janice, wondering what the hell kind of place she’d agreed to work in?

Felicity managed to pull her lips from his, turning her head toward the hall as Oliver nuzzled his face into her hair.  He pressed his mouth to her neck, nipping and sucking against her skin.  But all Felicity could do was stare at the person in her doorway.

It wasn’t Roy. Or Laurel.  Or Janice. 

It was Isabel.

Isabel Rochev.

The wiry, leggy brunette sized Felicity up with sharp eyes, her thin lips pulled into a straight line. Felicity’s breath caught. And the shivers coursing down her straightened spine had nothing to do with the love bites Oliver currently ran across her skin.

“Excuse me, the two of you,” Isabel said, her voice crisp, her words enunciated.

Felicity felt Oliver’s muscles stiffen at the sound of his ex’s voice. She felt his entire being change, felt his entire demeanor turn hard and unyielding against her body.

Still clenching the armrests of Felicity’s office chair, Oliver lifted his head to stare at the woman in the doorway.

Isabel crossed her long, slender arms over her sapphire silk dress. “I was just on my way to your office, Oliver…when I noticed you were in here.”

He attempted to stand but Felicity restrained him unconsciously, holding him in place with her still-ferocious grip on his tie.  She kept staring at Isabel, not realizing she’d restricted his movement, until his fingers covered hers.  Oliver rubbed his palm over the back of her hand, but Felicity still couldn’t accept what was happening.  And so he moved again, taking his time to gently pry her fist open. Finally, the material fell from her fingers.

Felicity felt the loss of that touch and turned to look up to his face.  He seemed a million miles away now, even though he stood mere inches before her.  Felicity’s cheeks were on fire as she stared at him.  And Oliver’s eyes were on fire, but she couldn’t tell which emotions churned inside that deep blue – she only knew there were so, so many of them.

“I need to speak with you, Oliver,” Isabel asserted with several taps of her toe against the hard floor. “I just need a moment. I’m sure your _secretary_ can be without you for that long.”

Felicity didn’t miss the disdain in Isabel’s voice.  She also didn’t miss the board-like straightness of Oliver’s spine, or the telltale twitch of his jaw muscle as he continued looking down at her.  “Will you excuse me please, Felicity?” he asked on exhale.

Felicity nodded mechanically.

He smiled stiffly before turning away, stepping around her desk, and brushing past his ex into the long hallway.

Isabel watched his movements hungrily, only looking back to Felicity when Oliver was out of view. With a single glance, she made Felicity feel like a bug on the bottom of her designer heels.  And then she turned and was gone, and Oliver with her. In a whirlwind.

Isabel just breezed into the office, said a few words, and swept Oliver away.

And Felicity sat alone. 

The memories came instantly. Unbidden.  Unwelcome.  Devastating. Memories of the day she’d found Cooper in bed with Kendra.  

She still remembered the excitement she felt, thinking she would surprise her loving boyfriend with her early exit from work that day.  She could still hear the moans and giggles that filled her ears as she’d walked down her hallway toward the bedroom.  She could still see their bare legs twisted up in her bed sheets.  She could still envision the look of pure bliss on Cooper’s face as he laid on top of another woman.  A woman who would become his wife. 

Pain tore into Felicity’s body as the memories accosted her.  She knew, from the moment she suggested this affair with Oliver, the danger she was putting herself in.  She knew the only thing worse than watching Cooper leave her for Kendra would be watching Oliver leave her for Isabel. 

She was absolutely right.

Slumping over onto her desktop, Felicity clutched at her chest – trying to physically hold her heart together, to physically prevent it from shattering into a million tiny little shards – but all her grasping fingers could find was the diamond dangling from her neck.  A reminder that Oliver could be sparkly.  That he was the most sparkly thing in her life. And that she simply couldn’t fathom the devastation of losing him.

She shut her eyes tight. Oliver and Isabel were together, right now, in his office.  He was back with the woman he’d known for years and years and years.  And the thought of all the times he must have touched her, and all the times he must have made love to her, coiled like a snake through Felicity’s gut. Now that she knew what it felt like to be held in Oliver’s arms, Felicity just couldn’t imagine him holding Isabel the same way.  It was absolutely unthinkable.  It was simply unbearable.

But Oliver was still deeply affected by Isabel’s presence…that much was blatantly apparent. _How long have they been apart now – two months, at most?_ This was just about the time they always found their way back together.  This was just about the time he always found his way back to that woman.

Felicity shook her head, over and over again.

All of these thoughts and realizations overwhelmed her, and she knew she would drown – just sink like dead weight beneath this horrific pain – if she didn’t fight back against it.  So she forced herself to sit up.  She straightened in her chair, releasing her grip on the diamond and pushing her hair back over her shoulders.  She brushed unwanted moisture from beneath her glasses and stared at her computer.

“This is a good thing,” she muttered to herself.  After all, she knew this was coming; she’d always known.  “You needed to be reminded, Felicity.” 

She’d simply been getting too attached.  To his home, to his bed, to his life.  To him. She had to remember that this was all over on Friday.

Felicity heard Oliver’s office door open in the distance, and she stiffened and stared straight ahead.  A blur of sapphire rushed through the hallway without even a glance in her direction. And then a moment later, Oliver reappeared in her doorway.

His eyes immediately found hers.  “Felicity,” he breathed.

She cleared her throat.  “Oliver.”

“I’m sorry about that,” he offered, motioning to the spot in the hall recently occupied by his ex-tornado. “I assure you it was only business. A few matters dealing with the Starling Country Club opening.”

“Yes, that’s right, her father owns the place, doesn’t he?”

“Yes.”

Felicity swallowed. “She’s worth billions, isn’t she?”

Oliver pinned her with his intense gaze as he stepped back into her office.  “None of that means anything to me,” he stated, moving closer and closer until he reached the opposite side of her desk and stood, towering over her, his thick body encompassing her entire field of vision. Felicity fidgeted in her seat.

Oliver stared her down, unflinching.   “Felicity, I want you to come to the Country Club gala with me.”

“You mean…on _Saturday_?”

“Yes, on Saturday. The event you’ve been preparing us for. The one I asked you to that first Monday in the restaurant.”

She immediately shook her head.  “No, I can’t. My last day is Friday. That’s three weeks. That’s the end. We both have lives to get on with.”

Felicity expected him to be angry, to glare at her, or to loom even more ominously above her than he already was.  But he didn’t. Oliver softened, almost instantly, before smiling gently into her eyes.  “It’s just one more day, my sweet Felicity.  What can one more day hurt?”

She peered up into him as shivers coursed across every inch of her skin.  “Why do you want me to go, Oliver?” 

He leaned forward, hands resting on her desktop.  His warmth reached out to hold onto her, even across the distance.  “I want you there because I worked day and night on that project, and you were right there with me, and I couldn’t have done it without you. I want you there so I can show it to you properly, and celebrate it with you, for all you did to help it become a reality.  And I want you there…just because I want you there, Felicity.  I want you on my arm because that will make me the happiest person in the place. The happiest person in the world.”

Felicity reached up to clutch the diamond against her chest, but it didn’t keep her heart from pounding against her fingertips.  She didn’t miss the sincerity in Oliver’s eyes.  She didn’t miss the intimacy of his words.  And she couldn’t ignore the aching, desperate response of her body, even though her brain screamed at her to leave while she still had even a miniscule chance at self-preservation.

... 

Oliver held his breath as he waited for an answer.  He wished like hell Isabel hadn’t shown up just now.  That woman had terrible timing…always had.  But today, in front of Felicity, was the worst.  His sweet little sprite was skittish enough.  She didn’t need another reason to run away from him.

Felicity made him work like a dog for every inch these past weeks, but he didn’t mind a bit of it, as long as he got to be with her in the end.  Oliver knew he could be a grouch and a robot, but he was trying to be better. And he truly believed they’d come a long way…that she might actually give up this three-week nonsense and just be with him, for better or for worse.

When he’d agreed to her ludicrous idea of a no-strings-attached affair, he knew what he was getting into. He knew he would have obstacles to overcome.  Felicity had constructed so many barriers and erected so many walls that there were times he thought he’d never be able to even see over them.  But he was close to the top now.  He knew he was so damn close.

He just had to keep scaling, to keep climbing, persistent and unfailing.  Saturday may only be one more night, but it meant a future between them, one that extended past this set, three-week time frame. And that was a wall he desperately needed to hurdle, a heavily fortified barricade he had to break through. Because if he didn’t, she would leave…and that just wasn’t an option.

He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together, growing impatient as he waited for her response. “Please, Felicity,” he implored. “Please just tell me you’ll come to the gala on Saturday.  Tell me you’ll spend one more night with me.”  _And then another. And another._

Her eyes locked onto his, their light blue depths swimming with more emotion than he knew what to do with at this moment.  He held his breath as he waited.  And then, finally, he saw her nod.  “Okay, Oliver. I’ll come with you.”

He exhaled, the kempt air leaving his lungs in a rush.  “ _Yes_.  Alright, then.”  Oliver stepped around the side of her desk, moving to stand in front of her as he reached out his hand.  “Time to go.”

Her brow arched. “It’s only three o’clock. Where are we going?”

“We’re getting out of here and going shopping.  I’m into this gift-giving thing now, and I want to get you a dress for the party. Anything your heart desires.”

“What about Janice?”

“Laurel can take care of her.”

“But Oliver, you never leave work this early.”

“Well, today I am. I want to go have a date like normal people. Everyone knows about us now; we don’t have to hide.  I want to take you shopping, and to dinner, and maybe to a movie, if you’d like.”

Felicity stared up at him for another long moment, and Oliver waited as patiently as humanly possible with his arm outstretched.  Then he watched in wonder as she reached out to grasp his hand, allowing him to pull her from her seat.  The moment her body touched his, the air finally returned to his lungs. 

Having her back in his arms was a moment of triumph, quelling the panic that set into his bones the second he’d heard Isabel’s shrill voice.  When he’d felt Felicity stiffen at that sound – when he felt his little sprite turn from putty in his hands to board-like rigidity the moment Isabel spoke – it damn near broke something inside him.  He instantly dreaded what Isabel might say to her.  He instantly dreaded what Felicity might think of him.

For that brief, terrifying moment, he feared never getting to hold his sweet sprite again. He feared never getting to watch her lips move as she babbled into his ear before the sun had even fully risen through the curtains in their bedroom.  He feared never getting to watch her eyes light with mischief and seduction and oh-so-beautiful contentment as they made love.  And, more than anything, he feared spending a single day of the rest of his life without her.  Because that was absolutely unthinkable.  It was simply unbearable.

So now, with this wondrous woman finally back in his arms where she belonged, Oliver knew he couldn’t waste a second.  Smiling down into her eyes, he banded her against his chest, clamping them tightly together. Felicity sighed and sunk into him immediately, and he knew her body responded to him in a way her heart wasn’t yet ready to…but he would take what he could get.  And always, _always,_ work for more.

Leaning down to rest his forehead against hers, Oliver rubbed their noses together until she giggled softly, her body trembling just slightly within their little cocoon. “And then, my sweet Felicity, after our date is completed to your utter satisfaction, I have other plans for us.”

“Yeah?” she breathed against his lips.  “What plans?”

“Well, first I’m going to bring you back to our home.”

“Mmm…what will we do there?”

“We are going to take a bubble bath together, to soak your poor, sore cheeks.”

She smiled softly as she gazed up at him.  “I take it you don’t mean the cheeks on my face?”

“No, not exactly. But don’t worry; the bubble bath will help.  And then, when you’re feeling all better, I’m going to wash your hair.”  He paused, his brow furrowing.  “God, is that creepy?  Please tell me it’s not creepy, because I really want to do that.” 

His fingers wound their way up to the back of her scalp and Felicity hummed with the sensation. She leaned forward, closing her eyes as she pressed herself further into his chest.  “Not creepy,” she sighed.  “Blissful.”

“Oh, good. That’s good.  So then, after I wash your hair, and your cheeks are thoroughly soaked, and you’re feeling all rested and clean, I will dry you off and lay you on our bed and massage you until you feel all better.”  His hand moved from her scalp to the nape of her neck, tracing across her collarbone.  “That is, until I start biting you again.”

Felicity reached up to curl her fingers into his hair, huffing out a soft laugh at his words. But her eyes still fell down to his chest as she spoke.  “Promises, promises, Mr. Queen.  Just so you know, I make it a point never to trust Ass Vampires.”

“Hmm. Well, that’s good practice, certainly.” He brought his fingers to her chin, raising her face until she looked him in the eye once again. “But you can trust _me_ , Felicity.  I hope you know that.”

Her light blue didn’t reflect the certainty he wanted.  But she still smiled, and she still pressed her lips to his, and she still wrapped him up in the warmth of her body.  For now, it was all he could ask for.  Because he’d never been happier in his life than during these few precious moments with his Felicity in his arms. 

 ...

 **A/N:** Hi guys!  I would like to take a moment to give a special shout out to Summer Glau, who portrayed Isabel Rochev on the show with such perfectly icy bitchiness that I can vilify her here with only a fraction of the guilt I would normally have…yay Summer!  I hope you enjoyed this chapter; love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading :) Tina. Up next…Chapter 16: Long-Overdue Realizations


	16. Long-Overdue Realizations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people!! Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments and kudos and follows and favs through all of this, I so appreciate it...you all make me so happy!! :)

Friday. Felicity’s last day.

Oliver never thought it would actually come to this.

He sat in his office chair, staring at his closed door, waiting for her to come through it. She promised she would be here as soon as humanly possible, and he knew he could do nothing else until he had her in his arms again.  So he waited. Impatiently.

Oliver understood that it had become common knowledge among the staff this week that he and Felicity had “alone time” together in his office each morning, and they were absolutely not to be disturbed for any reason.  At first, his little sprite had been quite frustrated by that particular information being open for public consumption, but now she just embraced it.  And Oliver simply didn’t care what anyone else thought.  It was his damn building, after all.

The doorknob shifted across the distance of his office and Oliver’s eyes narrowed, focusing in on her as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. Felicity turned toward him, her light blue bright behind her glasses, and smiled.   He held his breath as she walked forward, across the length of the room and around his desk, coming to stand in front of him. She didn’t say anything. She just eased up to the chair and plopped down onto his lap, giggling as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Her luscious pink lips pressed against his mouth and he just grabbed hold of her, crushing her to his chest.  The air left her lungs on a gasp and he lifted her, standing from the chair with his Felicity in his arms. He placed her on the surface of his desk, balanced precariously on the edge as he held her in place with the wall of his body. 

Reaching his hands to cup her face, he stared deep into her eyes.  “You’re going to be here for a while,” he informed her, because every other morning visit to his office this week had a thirty-minute time limit placed on it ( _because that’s how long I told Janice to take for breakfast, Oliver_ ), and that just wasn’t going to be enough today.

Felicity didn’t argue. She only whispered, “Okay.”

“And I want every stitch of clothing off of both of us,” he added, knowing she wouldn’t normally allow them both to be completely naked in his office; she would say there was too much to cover up if anyone decided to knock on the door.

But, once again, she didn’t put up a fight.  She just looked into his eyes and nodded, and Oliver knew then that there was an unspoken understanding between them, because this was their last morning here together, and these were their last minutes to spend together in the place where they’d lived so much of their lives for the past six years.  And so, when he started peeling her clothes off inch by inch, and kissing every tiny bit of skin he revealed as he worked, Felicity just smiled at him, humming and cooing in perfect synchronization with the pressure of his lips.

When he’d stripped her completely bare, she reached up to remove her glasses. 

His hands found hers, stopping her movements.  “No. Leave them on,” he instructed, “and don’t pull your ponytail out, either.”  He didn’t know what she would think about his demands, but he just wanted her to look exactly like this, like she had the first day she’d stepped into this room six years ago, when she’d changed both of their lives irrevocably.

Oliver knew his words were forceful, and so, as an afterthought, he added, “Please.” But then he realized he really didn’t need to, because Felicity just listened to his requests, and nodded again, and smiled softly as she pushed her glasses up higher on her nose. She’d apparently decided to acquiesce to all of his desires, and it somehow made this worse.  He just couldn’t get enough of her, no matter how hard he tried, and she simply sat here, giving herself to him, letting him take all that he wanted. Oliver’s voice shook as he said, “Thank you,” and watched her grin. 

He ran his hands all over her body, exploring every little curve and crevice, as she sighed and purred against his skin.  He stilled when she worked her fingers slowly into the knot of his tie, taking her sweet time undressing him, as if they had forever together and she didn’t have to care how long this took. After several minutes, she finally got the knot undone and then started tugging and pulling, quite ineffectively, at his shirt. As much as Oliver enjoyed the site of her red painted fingernails fumbling with his buttons, he couldn’t stand being this far away from the touch of her bare skin for even a single second more. So he took over, getting rid of the unwanted clothes himself, because his patience was just fucking gone.

He was probably too frustrated at this point; he was probably too worked up over the fact that this was her last day, and that this was the last time he would ever have her in his office. He probably should have tried to calm down, but he simply couldn’t stand the fact that he wasn’t going to be here with her ever again, and it made him crazy, and so he entered her roughly, thrusting in, deep and full, in an instant.  Felicity’s eyes widened and her breath caught with the coarse movement, her pink lips pursing as she let out the softest little, “Oh.” 

Before he had the chance to feel guilty, before he had the chance to apologize or even attempt to withdraw, she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, pressing her lips to his ear and whispering, “This is just perfect, baby. Just perfect.”

He shuddered at the words, at the soft tickling of her breath against his skin, and Felicity banded her legs around his hips and linked her feet together against his back, bringing him even further into her body.  When Oliver felt her fingertips easing through his hair, and felt her mouth placing tiny little kisses against his jaw, he finally got himself under control. He began making love to her slowly then, with just the smallest of movements, because he wanted this to actually last forever.

Dropping his head to her shoulder, he nipped against her skin and listened to the strangled groans that emanated from her throat.  The expected sounds were soothing to him now, and he let his mind roam, unable to keep himself from wondering how these last few days would have gone if his ex-tornado hadn’t shown back up here on Monday.  Would he have already finished scaling Felicity’s carefully constructed walls? Would she have already agreed to stay with him, to keep living with him, to give this relationship an actual try, if she hadn’t been spooked by Isabel’s untimely arrival?

He supposed he would never know the answers to those questions.  Although, he had to admit, the week had gone better than expected after that unfortunate incident.  Once Felicity had agreed to come to the gala with him, and once he’d convinced her to leave work early with him Monday afternoon, he’d spent every possible waking and sleeping moment with her.  

He’d actually gotten her to leave work a few hours early with him every afternoon since then…well, except for Wednesday, when they’d stayed late because she refused to go into the copy room with him until after everyone else had gone for the day. That evening, even though the office was thoroughly empty, she’d still made him jam a chair up under the copy room’s doorknob and swear to her that the place was locked down like Fort Knox before he was allowed to come anywhere near her.  But he’d been more than happy to oblige, because the magnificent photo now plastered inside his desk drawer – which was, ironically enough, currently beneath her lovely bare ass – had become his most prized possession.   He didn’t even mind the hefty fee he had to fork over to the copy machine repairman to come in during off hours in order to get the copier back to functionality before morning. Although, when “Big Mike” had asked him what the hell happened to that machine, Oliver had actually found himself at quite a loss for words.  

The past few days had really flown by in a blur.  Honestly, the last four weeks felt like a blur, but Oliver couldn’t stop time from moving. And now it was Felicity’s last day, and he knew he would stay late with her in the office again. He wanted every last second he could get with her being just one room over, and having just one wall separating them. Because he would give anything for that to be the only wall separating them.

“You’re thinking really loudly,” Felicity whispered beside his ear as she wriggled on the desktop, pressing her soft breasts further into his chest.

Her words and movements redirected his wandering thoughts, and Oliver ran his fingers across her neck and then over her hair, grasping her ponytail inside his hand. “Sorry about that,” he offered.

“You know, Oliver, you can pull my hair a bit, if you want to.”

He arched back to look her in the eye.  “Excuse me?”

She giggled. “It’s just, you’ve got quite a hold on it, so if that’s something you’d enjoy, I wouldn’t mind.”

He wound his fingers further into the curls, and part of him wanted to do exactly what she’d suggested. Part of him wanted to flip her over and take her from behind, just driving into her furiously as he pulled her ponytail back with his fist, fucking her like a madman until she saw stars. But there was another part of him, the part that loved taking his time and savoring every last moment with her, that didn’t want anything to do with that scenario.

“No,” he said, shaking his head as he released her golden strands from his grasp.  “I don’t want that now.  I just want you, just like this.”

“Okay,” she said, shifting herself against him. 

“Are you uncomfortable?” he wondered aloud, knowing he’d been inside her for a while now, probably too long, but not wanting to move.

She shook her head in response and then pressed a kiss to his lips and Oliver withdrew himself from her body momentarily before descending slowly back in again.  Felicity shivered with the movement, burying her face in his neck as she trembled. 

Touching her arms, he frowned. “Are you cold?”

“No, Oliver. I’m never cold when I’m with you. You’re like a furnace; it’s amazing.”

He chuckled as he smoothed his hands over the goose bumps on her skin.

“It’s been nice, not being cold these past few weeks,” she murmured into his chest. “I’m grateful it’s almost summertime now; sometimes in the winter my fingers feel like icicles.”

“They are icicles in the winter,” he agreed, reaching up to grasp one of her hands in his, threading their fingers together.  “I’ve always watched you warm them up on your coffee mug, and some days they were nearly blue. Sometimes I would ask you to get me more coffee, even though I didn’t really want it, because I knew you were busy and I wanted you to take the time to hold onto the mug and get warm.”

Her fingers clenched onto his as he spoke, and he felt her pulse through the skin of her palm. He always wanted to keep her hands warm. He always wanted to be able to count her heartbeats like he could right now, just through his fingertips. He always wanted to hold her, every moment of every day, for the rest of his life.

Felicity was softness and love and compassion and just…happiness.  And Oliver hadn’t had much experience with any of those things, so he assumed they would feel foreign and unnatural.  But they didn’t.  Not with her.

“I’m warm now, Oliver,” she sighed, her breath soft against his skin.

He eased back slightly and watched as she lifted her head slowly, gazing up at him behind half-lidded eyes. She looked as drunk as he felt. “I’m warm now, too, Felicity.”

She smiled then, the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen, ever.  And he knew, right this moment, that he was happy.  God, this was true _happiness_ , and he honestly wasn’t sure if he’d ever felt it before these past weeks.

Felicity encircled her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her and pressing her lips to his, and Oliver just let himself melt into her.  He loved being buried deep inside her, feeling the heat and softness of her body as it tightened around him.  He loved running his hand down the length of her spine, from the nape of her neck to the little indentations of her hipbones against her low back, and feeling her arch into him and shiver beneath his touch.  But what he loved the most was how open she was with him in these moments, how raw and perfect her emotions were, just written here on her face.

He stared into her for a long minute, just looking into her beautiful light blues and loving the way they looked back at him.  Felicity smiled up into his eyes and tightened her hold on him, using all available limbs, and Oliver shifted inside her, eliciting a tiny gasp from her sweet lips. That little noise was all it took to break him.  And so, as much as he didn’t want this moment to end, he began moving inside her again, taking her with him into their very own sweet heaven.

 ...

Hours later, Oliver sat in his deep office chair, staring out of the arched window to the park across the street.  Four weeks ago, he’d been doing this exact same thing.  Tommy and Laurel were just back from their honeymoon, and Oliver remembered wanting to run out of the building and roll around in the grass. 

That was the day he realized he needed a change.  He needed something out of the ordinary, someone to make him feel alive. He just had no idea she’d been walking around in front of him for six years.

 _Felicity_.

She’d been here, bare naked and wrapped around him on this desk, only a few hours ago. But it still wasn’t enough. It would just never be enough.

Oliver took a deep breath in, renewing the scent of wildflowers and vanilla.  He loved that he could smell her on his clothes. He loved that her hairbrush was in his bathroom and that her pillow rested beside his on the bed and that she called his house “home” every time they spoke.  He loved being able to reach out and take her whenever he felt like it, and he loved that she always responded the same way – like it was the first time she’d ever felt his touch, like it was the best thing she could imagine.

It couldn’t end tomorrow night after the gala. 

He couldn’t lose her.

He wouldn’t.

His mind grasped for solutions, but instead of his usual logic and reason he only found panic and desperation. Oliver shook his head, not knowing what to do with these emotions.  He’d never experienced anything like this; he was a practical person, and these were the most impractical feelings he’d ever known.  They were insane and overwhelming and magnificent…and they sure as hell hadn’t happened in four short weeks. 

A knock came at the door, making him jump.  “Yes?” he asked, hoping Felicity had come to visit his office one last time.

A long moment passed before Tommy poked his head around the corner.  “Is it all clear in here?  Safe for entry?”

Oliver rolled his eyes.

Tommy chuckled as he opened the door fully and stepped inside.  “Hi, buddy.”

Oliver forged a smile. “Hi.”

Tommy’s brow rose as he stared him down.  “So, Felicity’s last day, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“Good thing you two are together now, otherwise I bet this would be tough.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “Yes, it would be tough.”

“Well, you _are_ together, so it’ll be alright.  Right?”

Turning back to the window, Oliver stared at the bright green grass in the distance. He realized that he needed answers, and that the person who had them was standing right here in front of him. “Tommy, you’re my best friend.”

“Right back at you.”

Oliver glanced up to him. “Do you remember, a couple of years ago, when you told me that I didn’t love Isabel and we would never work out?”

“Um, yeah. Sorry about that. Some friend I am, huh? Sticking my nose in.”

“Don’t be sorry; you were absolutely right.  Which brings me to the sad realization that you may know my emotional state better than I do.”

Tommy smiled. “You’re the best at a lot of things, buddy. Emotions just aren’t one of them.”

“You’re right about that, too. And since you _are_ good with emotions, I need to know something. The day you told me I should date Felicity – was that just on a whim?”

Tommy shook his head. “No, Oliver.  It wasn’t a whim.”

“I didn’t think so.” Reality dawned, slow and dim but getting brighter.  “I need you to answer one more question for me, to the best of your knowledge.”

“Alright.”

Oliver sighed. “Can you please tell me how long I’ve been in love with my secretary?”

Tommy glanced at the floor, chuckling, before looking back.  “At least two years.”

“Hell, that long?”

“It happened right after she broke up with her last boyfriend.”

“Cooper?”

“I think that was his name. Laurel hollered about it a lot; she was angry about how he’d treated Felicity.  And Felicity was so sad all the time, but then the strangest thing happened.”

“What happened?”

“You just…zeroed in on her. It was amazing to watch, because I thought you were oblivious to how beautiful Felicity was and how she stared at you constantly and how she laughed at your jokes, even when nobody else did. But, after that breakup, I think you realized she’d been hurt deeply, and that she was in real pain, and you couldn’t stand it.  It awakened some kind of sleeping giant in you. 

“Things were different after that.  You talked more and more about her.  You paid more attention to everything she did.  You found reasons to keep her late in the office and gave her unusual tasks to complete – ones that kept her close to you, even though they really weren’t her responsibility. But of course she did them, because you asked her.  Laurel would get all nuts about it, complaining that you were an ogre and you were committing secretary-abuse and if I acted that way she would leave me and not look back.”

Oliver grimaced. “Sorry.”

Tommy shrugged. “It’s alright. I kind of love it when she goes crazy like that; she gets really feisty, in a good way.”

“But still, I owe Laurel an apology.  And Felicity…I owe her a thousand apologies.”

“Oliver, if I ever thought Felicity felt abused, I would have intervened.  But she never complained.  God, I think she enjoyed it, actually.  She just always wanted to do things for you, from the day she arrived in this office. It just took you four years – and her having a bad breakup – to start noticing.”

“And when I started noticing Felicity, that’s when you told me I didn’t love Isabel?”

“Yeah.”

“But you didn’t tell me I loved Felicity.”

Tommy laughed. “Sorry, buddy. You needed to figure that one out for yourself.”

Oliver leaned back in his chair, exhaling.  “I’ve figured it out.”

“I can see that.”

Oliver stared down at his desk.  “What you said to me back then, about not loving Isabel, didn’t fall on deaf ears, Tommy. I was going to break up with her for good, but then she brought us the Starling Country Club project and I didn’t. I should have, but I didn’t. That was my fault.”

“Damn it, I always suspected she used that project to keep her hold on you.  I didn’t know you were trying to get away from her, Oliver. You should have told me; we wouldn’t have taken the job.”

“It was good for business.”

“But it shouldn’t have kept you with that woman.  You should have felt like you could leave without jeopardizing our work.”

Oliver rubbed a hand across the back of his neck.  “I’ve made so many mistakes, Tommy.  I don’t want to make more. Especially not with Felicity.”

Tommy gave him an encouraging smile.  “You won’t, buddy. You and Felicity are great together.”

Oliver returned the smile, but didn’t say a word.  How could he tell Tommy that Felicity planned to run away, as fast as her lovely legs would carry her, the minute the gala was over?  Oliver didn’t want to admit that to himself, let alone to his best friend.

“Well,” Tommy said, “I guess I should go check on Laurel.  She’s going to be a mess after Felicity leaves today. I know we’ll see you at the Country Club thing tomorrow night, but we’ll also need to do that double date soon or my life will be pretty miserable for a while.”

“I am looking forward to many double dates, Tommy.  And I promise I will do everything I can to make them happen.”

  ...         

Felicity stared at her near-empty desktop.  There was only a computer now.  There were no photos of her family, no vacation trinkets, no lists of things to be done. It felt as blank as the day she’d arrived.

“I think we’ve got it all now, doll,” Laurel said, placing a photo frame into Felicity’s bag.  “You are officially packed up.”

Felicity heard Laurel’s voice break as tears began streaming down her cheeks. “Oh, don’t start that,” Felicity complained, standing and throwing her arms around her friend. “Or I’ll start too and we’ll both be messes.”

Laurel sniffled.  “I know, I know; I’ll be good.  We’ve got the gala tomorrow, after all.  And now that you and Oliver are dating we’ll see each other all the time, right?”

Laurel pulled away and looked Felicity in the eye.  Felicity forced a smile.  “I’ll talk to you soon, Laurel.  I promise.”

Tommy appeared in the doorway.  “Babe, you doing alright?”

Laurel swiped at her moist cheeks as she glanced at her husband. “I’m okay.”

“You ready?”

“Yeah.” Laurel gave Felicity one last hug. “I’m glad Janice is nice, but it doesn’t make this any easier.”

“I know you’ll take good care of her.”  Felicity smiled, watching Laurel disappear as Tommy guided his wife down the hallway.

Alone again, Felicity turned to look at the wall, at the now-empty spot where she’d hung her _Robin Hood_ poster so long ago.  She’d never imagined, the day she stepped foot in this office, that she would still be here six years later. She’d never imagined how attached she would get to the people around her, or how hard it would be to leave. But then again, she hadn’t known how madly she would fall in love with her boss.

Her eyes closed as images of the past four weeks swirled through her mind – from the moment Oliver told her he was interested in her and she insisted he wasn’t, right up until this morning, when they’d made love on his desk one last time. The past month with him was her favorite, but she would also miss the six years before that, when she grew into a successful businesswoman under his watchful eye.  He’d taught her so much. 

_Damn it, why is there another woman in his life?  Am I cursed to only fall in love with men who already love someone else?  Is that my special gift?_

“Hey. Are you alright?”

Oliver’s voice came from behind her and she turned.  He stood in her doorway, watching her, and she fought back the tears that threatened to spill behind her glasses.  “I guess I’ll have to be,” she said, her heart clenching in her chest as he moved toward her. 

Oliver held one hand behind his back; with his other hand, he reached for her fingers and entwined them with his own.  “How is this room ever going to be anything but Felicity’s office?”

“You be nice to Janice, Oliver.  Don’t try to scare her.”

He laughed.  “I didn’t try to scare you, you know.”

“But you did.”

“And yet you still wanted your big, bad boss.”

“Yes, well, I obviously wasn’t thinking straight.”

Oliver fell silent before pinning her eyes with his.  “And now you are?”

She studied him for a long moment, and then pressed her lips together as she nodded slowly.

He shook his head. “Well, at least let me give you a last-day-at-the-office gift,” he offered, pulling his arm from behind his back to hand her a bottle of red wine.

Felicity’s mouth dropped open.  “Oliver, this is…”

“A Lafite Rothschild, 1982.”

“Oh my gosh, do you know how expensive this is?”

“Well, I know what I paid for it.  But you told me that you loved red wine, so I thought you deserved one of the best.”

Her eyes were wide as they gazed up into his.  “I swear to you, I will sip this in little, teeny tiny increments, and enjoy every single moment of it.”

Oliver smiled softly.  “Don’t do that, please.  I want you to chug it, because I want you to enjoy it the way you want to.  I just…I want you to be happy.”

Felicity looked into him, so amazed by the emotion flowing through his beautiful blues, amazed by how the words fell so effortlessly and yet so sincerely from his lips. She remembered sitting with him, on her green blanket in the dandelion field, just four weeks ago. She remembered tossing back her glass of wine as she plotted ways to punish him.  But now that moment felt like it took place years ago, with a different her and a different him, because what she felt between them now was unlike anything she could have imagined then.

Oliver reached for her, running his fingers down her arm, a distinct sadness moving across his normally strong features.  “Do you need help taking your things out?”

“No, its okay,” she said, afraid to acknowledge just how much this moment was hurting them both.  She picked her oversized bag off the floor, placing the wine bottle inside it before pulling it onto her shoulder.  “Laurel helped me and I already made one trip to my car.  I’m all set.”

“Alright. Can I at least walk you out?”

“Sure.”

She moved awkwardly past him, a step ahead as she exited her office and walked down the hall.  He held the front door open for her as she stepped out onto the ivory stone staircase. Oliver allowed the door to close behind them, and then came to stand beside her.  They both looked down to their cars, parked side-by-side against the curb.

Felicity felt the heat radiating off of him and she fiddled with her keychain.  “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night at the gala. I’ll just, um, I’ll just meet you by the entrance.”

“I can come by your apartment to pick you up instead.”

“No, no, that’s alright. I think I should probably drive myself.”

“Okay.”

Their voices trailed off and they just stood together for a moment, neither saying a word. And then Oliver turned toward her, taking a step closer.  Felicity held her breath as his hand eased to her face.  His fingers drew softly across her cheek while he waited patiently for her to have the courage to look at him.  When she did, she nearly came unglued from the pain in his eyes.

“Felicity,” he began, his voice low and raw, “I know you’re leaving here today and there’s nothing I can do about it, but I don’t want to come back into this building without you and that’s crazy, because this has meant everything to me for as long as I can remember.”

She stared at him, heart-stricken. If only two things would happen simultaneously – Oliver screaming out his love for her at the top of his lungs, or even just whispering it; and someone throwing a bucket of water on Isabel Rochev, melting her into a puddle – then maybe they would have a chance. But neither of those things would happen. 

“You’re going to be okay,” she tried to reassure them both.  “It’s just…its time for us to move on.  We’ll have the gala tomorrow, and then we’ll walk away, just like we planned.”

Oliver held her solidly with just his eyes.  “And what if I don’t want to walk away?”

Her body froze as she looked into him.  “We…we made a deal, Oliver. We set limits.”

“No, Felicity, _we_ didn’t set limits.  _You_ set limits.”

She shook her head immediately, wanting to deny the words.  But she couldn’t. Because she knew he was right.

Oliver took her by the shoulders, angling her toward him.  “Listen to me, please.  I know I pissed you off that first day at the restaurant; you accused me of making an intellectual decision to date you, not an emotional one.  You accused me of looking at love too practically and you were right, that’s exactly what I did.”  His fingers tightened on her arms.  “But don’t you see how it’s changed?  Now, _you’re_ the one who won’t allow yourself to let go.  You’re the one setting rules. Rules for how we kiss, for how we make love, for how long we can be together.  Can’t you just be with me?  Because I want that.  I want _you_ …all of you.  Damn, you’ve got to know that by now.”

Felicity stood, flabbergasted.

Oliver took a deep breath, releasing his hold on her arms and straightening, keeping her immobile now with nothing but his unwavering gaze.  “I was going to wait until after the gala tomorrow to say this, but I don’t want to wait anymore.  I’ve realized a lot in the last four weeks, and I am absolutely certain that you and I will be fantastic together…if you just give us a chance.  Will you do that, Felicity?  Will you give us a chance?”

The air rushed out of her lungs, leaving her speechless.

Oliver stepped closer. “There’s no reason not to, is there, sweetheart?  I mean, everyone knows we’re together.  We have infinite double dates on hold with Tommy and Laurel.  My brother and sister adore you; they already think we’re living with each other, and they’re both asking for family dinners for all of us.” He took hold of her hand, pulling it onto his chest.  “And you could move right into the house, as soon as you want.  So many of your things are already there, in our home.”

Felicity stared at his large fingers, interlaced with her smaller ones and melded together against the crisp white background of his shirt.  The sight made her heart pound, and she blinked hard against her tears. “That is true.”

“Yes. Yes, it is true.”

She smiled when she heard his voice, because it was filled with such hope and promise. Felicity closed her eyes, overwhelmed by everything he was telling her.  Her mind swam, fierce and tumultuous, and yet her heart felt so at peace here, right now, beside him.   

Oliver leaned down to place a kiss into her hair, nuzzling his lips beside her ear before whispering, “And, of course, you could choose your initials.”

She arched back instantly, gripping onto his hand as she stared up into him.  “W-what?”

“Felicity Smoak or Felicity Queen. Or Felicity Smoak-Queen, if you prefer.”

Her mouth fell open, eyebrows arched to her hairline.

He smiled softly, reaching out to ease the tip of her ponytail over her shoulder.  “I’m sorry; I don’t mean to get ahead of myself. I just…I see such a future for us, and I want you to see it, too.  I want you to take tonight to think about it, to think about us.  Will you please do that for me, my sweet Felicity? Will you please do that for us?”

Feeling like she’d been Tasered, Felicity nodded mechanically. 

“Good. And you’ll meet me at the Country Club tomorrow?”

She managed to squeak out the word, “Yes.”

“I’ll see you then.”

Oliver leaned forward, pressing a firm kiss to her still-parted lips.  Then he touched his forehead to hers, just for a moment, inhaling deeply before turning, walking to his car, and driving away.  A second later, Felicity crumpled onto the staircase and sat, staring out into space.

 ...

The next evening, Felicity sat on the edge of her bed, staring out into space.  She’d been doing a lot of that lately.  It was just her and her emotion-planet, drifting along in the Milky Way. She functioned, but just barely.

The dress Oliver bought her for the gala dangled from a hanger on her closet door.  She surveyed it, the way the sewn-in clear crystals accented the bodice and swirled down the long, draping length of bright red shimmering fabric. Felicity remembered the look on his face – like he wanted to swallow her whole – when she’d first modeled the luxurious gown for him in the exclusive dress boutique he’d taken her to Monday afternoon. Would he look at her like that again tonight?  Could she endure it if he did?

Felicity pressed her lips together, refreshing the scent of cotton candy gloss – his favorite flavor. Her hair was washed and dried and pulled up on the sides, held by tiny pins adorned with more crystals. The rest of her hair lay in long curls down her bare back, which would remain bared by the deep drape of her gown. Her silver heels rested on the floor before her; all she had to do was stand up and put everything on. But she still sat on the bed.

The phone rang and she reached over to see who was calling.  _Caitlin_.

Felicity answered. “Do you have ESPN or what?”

Cate laughed. “Just wanted to see if you’d left for the ball yet.”

“No. Not yet.”

“Why not?”

Felicity shook her head, staring into the mirror that hung beside the dazzling gown.  “I don’t know if I can do this.  Maybe I need to leave well enough alone and just be done with him.”

“Why?”

“Because, Cate. Because I waited my whole life for Prince Charming from a palace to come sweep me off my feet and there was never any sweeping.  Even when I thought I’d found a prince here and there, I just got hurt again and again. And then I finally realized there was no prince, and so I put on my big girl panties and made my own damn palace.”

“But it’s a pooch palace.”

“Yes, but it’s _my_ palace and I don’t need Prince Charming. I don’t even need Prince Grumpy Shut-in Architect.”

Cate sighed. “I know you’re strong, Felicity. I won’t argue that. And I know you’ve been hurt and you’ve come through it and made yourself even better.  I commend you, okay?  You get gold stars for all you’ve accomplished.  And I verify the fact that you don’t _need_ Oliver. But just tell me this...what do you _want_?”

A tear slid down Felicity’s cheek.  “Oh damn, I want _him_ , Cate. I can’t even put into words how much. I want to spend every moment of every day of the rest of my life loving him.  But how can I do that?  Do I just trust what he says about Isabel?  He still won’t tell me what happened between them.”

“Hasn’t he told you about fifty times that he doesn’t want her?”

“Yes.”

“And isn’t he a pretty trustworthy guy?” 

“Don’t go getting all logical on me.  That’s Oliver’s problem, too – he doesn’t talk about feelings.  He basically told me yesterday that he wants to marry me, yet he’s never even said he loves me.”

“You’ve only been dating for a month, Felicity, if you can even call what you’ve been doing _dating._ Just because you’ve been in love with him for six years doesn’t mean he’s on your same timeline.”

“But what if he doesn’t love me? Maybe he thinks that, because I make a good secretary, and we have super-fantastic-awesome sex together, that’s enough for a lifetime of happiness.”

“Or maybe he thinks that’s the beginning of something even deeper.  Maybe he’s going to be the best husband in the world.  Maybe he will love you more than any man’s loved any woman ever. But you’ll never know unless you go to that damn ball and give him a chance.”

Felicity exhaled, trying to wrap her spaced-out brain around Cate’s words. 

“Stop thinking about it,” Cate said, confirming the fact that she could read minds. “Just let everything go and see where this takes you.  You owe it to both of you.  And you’ll regret it like crazy if you don’t.”

Felicity shook her head. “Man, you sure are old and wise, Caitlin.”

“We’re the same age.”

“And yet you’re older and wiser.”

“Just wiser. Are you going to the ball, Cinderella?”

“Yes, I’m going,” she realized, taking a deep breath as she watched her reflection, as she witnessed the joy that lit her eyes when she’d made her decision.  “You’re absolutely right; I need to let all of my fears go and give us a chance.  I need to go to Oliver with an open mind and an open heart and just love him in every way I can.”

“If you do that Felicity, I know Oliver will love you, too.”

She smiled into the mirror, finally willing to admit the truth.  “He’s been trying to love me, Cate; I know he has.  He’s been trying so hard, but I’ve been so scared that I’ve just pushed away from it.  I’ve pushed and pushed, because I think I just couldn’t accept the idea that he would actually want this, that he would actually want me.  But he’s still here, and he’s still trying, and I…I don’t want to push away anymore.  I want to love him, and I want to learn to let him love me back.”

“That’s my girl,” Caitlyn whispered, and Felicity could hear a tremor in her voice. “You know, honey, Oliver could very well be your happy ending.”

Felicity brushed a tear from her cheek.  “Yes. Yes, I really believe he is.”

 ...

 **A/N:**   Hey there guys!  I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  I’m sorry to say I may be a bit delayed getting out the next installment, because I have a test to study for (it’s one of those pass-this-or-lose-your-job kind of tests) so I really need to concentrate for a bit.  But I will do my best to work quickly!!  Thanks so much for all your support…I’d love to hear your thoughts on this chapter!! :) Tina.  Up next…Chapter 17:  The Marble Column


	17. The Marble Column

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again, awesome people! Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments and well-wishes this week. I passed my test (whew!), so now I get to go the Starling Country Club gala - yay! Sadly, this night only exists in my head...but hey, I'd love for you to come along with me, if you like. Pretend-drinks are on me! :)

Felicity parked her Bug a short distance from the entrance to the Starling Country Club.  Her fingers trembled as she pulled the key from the ignition.  Taking a deep, steadying breath, she closed her eyes. “Cate’s right; I have to let everything go. I love Oliver, and I know he’s trying to love me back, and I need to walk in here tonight with an open mind and an open heart.”

_Open mind, open heart,_ she repeated silently as she stepped out of the car and onto the cobblestone sidewalk. She straightened the sparkling, clingy red fabric across her hips and stomach and took one more deep inhalation before looking up and moving forward.  The sky was already dark and magnetized, holding a million stars in place. Tall, elegant, old-fashioned streetlamps lit her footsteps, allowing Felicity to observe the magnificent couples making their way toward the elaborate staircase entryway.  She felt a little out of place among the opulence, but no one seemed to notice.  They nodded and smiled at her, and she realized what amazing taste Oliver had in ball gowns.

She’d almost reached the end of the sidewalk when she saw him. He stood to the right of the entrance, near a bed of red roses that glowed crimson in the dim lamplight. His eyes searched the crowd, and she knew he was looking for her, but she couldn’t say anything to catch his attention. She was simply speechless.

Felicity had never seen Oliver in a tuxedo before.  She’d ordered them for him from time to time, and had even delivered a few to his home, but she’d never had the occasion to see how the deep black of the fabric contrasted so strikingly with his lighter hair and eyes, or how the cut of the jacket highlighted the broadness of his shoulders and chest. The sight made her fingers tremble again, but for entirely different reasons.

She could have stood there and stared at him indefinitely, but then Oliver saw her. His first reaction was a sigh of relief, accompanied by a relaxation of his tight shoulders. His next reaction forced the air from Felicity’s lungs.  To say he looked hungered would be far too mild.  Ravenous was more like it, or fork-and-knife-in-hand salivating at the mouth. She’d never felt more beautiful or desired than now, as he devoured her with his eyes in the dark night.

Her wobbling gait managed to carry her to him, and for a long moment Oliver didn’t say a word.  He watched her, his gaze drifting across every shimmery-red covered curve of her body, until his eyes settled on hers.  “You came,” he said, his deep voice sending shivering waves across her skin.

“Yes.”

Oliver reached out, tracing the edge of her diamond necklace along her collarbone. “You look more stunning than ever, and that is unbelievable, because you always take my breath away.”

“Thank you.  For the dress, and for the necklace.”

“Don’t thank me.  I should be the one thanking you for even showing up tonight.”

Felicity searched his eyes.  “Why?”

“Because after I thought about what I said to you on the steps yesterday, after how forceful and presumptive I was, I knew there was a chance you wouldn’t come. But I’m so grateful you did, because I need to correct my mistake.”

“What mistake?”

Oliver stepped closer, one hand moving to gently cradle her face. “The fact that I never asked you the most important question.  I spent all night thinking about you – I absolutely hated being alone in our home – and as I tossed and turned in that big, cold bed, I realized I never asked how you feel about me.”

Felicity reached for his chest, fingers curling into the lapels of his jacket. She wanted to shout out the emotions she’d bottled up for so long, to just scream it all at the top of her lungs, but nothing came out, because she didn’t even know where to start. She didn’t know how to express everything inside her, because no words seemed enough to do it all justice.

Oliver’s hand brushed across her cheek and she sighed into his touch.  He smiled.  “You know, Felicity, the only reason I even tried asking you on a date a month ago was because I knew you’d had a crush on me, once upon a time.  And, although it’s been six years, I was hoping some of that emotion was still inside you somewhere, in a cobweb-filled corner.”

She opened her mouth to speak but Oliver touched his finger to her lips and shook his head. “Wait, let me finish, please. I know I’ve seemed unfeeling in the past, and I know I’ve made you angry, but I promise I’ll work like hell to be better.  I swear to you, I am going to sparkle so brightly that it will hurt just to look at me. And I will do everything in my power to make you happy.”  His eyes drifted down along with his fingers, to run across her shoulder.  “I also need you to understand how sorry I am that Isabel is going to be here tonight.  I can assure you, with utter and complete sincerity, that I have absolutely no desire to see her.” Oliver’s bright blue returned to hers. “You are the only woman I see. You are the only woman I want.”

She whimpered, holding tighter to his jacket. 

He leaned forward, his lips against her ear.  “Come home with me tonight, sweet Felicity.  Come home and let’s start over.  Give yourself a chance to feel something for me again.  Give _us_ a chance. That’s all I want. It’s all I hope for.”

Felicity’s heart pounded in her chest, her breaths shallow and pained.  She needed to tell him, right now, just how much love she held inside for him; she needed to explode in a rambling fit of confessions and desires that would surely knock him to the ground.  “Oliver, I…”

“Hey, there you guys are,” Tommy greeted as he walked up. 

Felicity pressed her lips together, pulling back enough to meet Oliver’s intense stare. The ferocity and urgency of his blatant need stunned her, and it took her a moment to tear her eyes away. “Um, hi, Tommy. Don’t you look handsome tonight?”

Tommy shrugged. “Yeah, I try not to. It just keeps happening.”

Felicity laughed and Oliver’s fingers curled into her hip, pulling her closer to him.

Tommy glanced down at Oliver’s hand and grinned.  “Sorry to interrupt you two, but I just wanted to touch bases before we all got lost in this crowd.”

“Yes, of course,” Felicity said. She began stepping toward the staircase, but Oliver banded his arm around her waist, keeping her close to his side.

“Where is Laurel?” Oliver asked.

“At home. She’s not feeling well. She said to tell you how sorry she was.”

Felicity eased her hand up Oliver’s back.  “That’s too bad. I hope she feels better soon.”

“I hope she will, too. Frankly, I’d rather be home with her, but I guess we have to rub elbows and all that.  You guys ready to go hobnob with the rich and glamorous?”

Oliver shrugged. “If we must.”

Tommy walked toward the front stairway and Oliver stepped in behind him, guiding Felicity’s steps. He bent his head to hers and whispered, “Will you think about what I said?”

Holding onto him for dear life, Felicity gazed up into his eyes and smiled and nodded.  Oliver returned her smile.  And then he swept her into the vast room and the world swam around them.

The night passed in a weird and wonderful fog.

Oliver stared at her constantly, as if she might disappear if he looked away for too long. He didn’t miss an opportunity to touch her bare back, or intertwine their fingers.  They met hundreds of people, heard a thousand compliments on the expert design of the conference center.  Guests questioned Oliver repeatedly about where he got his ideas and how he shaped his work. He always answered with a smile, pulling Felicity to his side and introducing her as his inspiration. At first, she didn’t know what to think of the ease of his praise for her.  But the more she heard it, the more she enjoyed the words.  The more she believed he wanted her and no one else.

They lost Tommy at some point; Felicity wasn’t sure when.  Her mind moved so rapidly, from person to person and conversation to conversation, all while thinking about what she would do tonight when the clock struck midnight. Her prince wanted her to come home with him. If she let herself, if she just embraced the open mind and open heart she’d set out to have tonight, then she could forget about Isabel and just be with the man she’d loved forever. Especially if he loved her back.

“May I call your office for a consultation on building a summer home?”

Felicity emerged from her haze to reply to the intensely manicured woman questioning Oliver. “Of course, Mrs. Newport. I’ll be more than happy to take your information and have someone get in touch with you right away.”

Oliver smiled as Mrs. Newport reached into her handbag and grabbed a business card, giving it to Felicity. “I look forward to it, dear.”

The woman left and Felicity handed the card to Oliver.  “You’ve had a million inquiries.”

He tucked the card in his pocket.  “You’re not my secretary anymore, you know.  You’re my date.”

“I know; it’s just habit. I like to see the firm doing well. But how could it not? The conference center is amazing. Everything you touch is magnificent.”

Oliver smoothed his fingers across her low back as he stared into her.  “You’re magnificent.”

Felicity had to look away from him then, just for a moment, because the feelings contained inside her heart for so long had reached maniacal proportions, and the way he looked at her made her incapable of breathing.  Her eyes drifted over to the dance floor, where couples twirled together to the orchestral band music she’d been hearing all night.  She remembered dancing with Oliver in a field of dandelions a month ago, and it brought a smile to her face. 

His fingers tightened around her hip.  “Are you having fun tonight, sweetheart?”

Felicity turned her gaze back to his.  “Sweetheart,” she echoed. “You called me sweetheart yesterday on the staircase, too.”

“Yes, I did. Do you like it?”

She nodded. “I love it, actually.”

He leaned down to place a kiss on the tip of her nose.  “Good. I love it, too.”

Felicity stared up into his brilliant blue eyes and smiled at him with her entire body.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he breathed, and she felt fairly certain that chunks of her heart melted off and slid down into her stomach. 

“Would you like to dance, sweetheart?”

Her brow rose. “Really? I thought you didn’t dance.”

Oliver pulled her closer to him.  “Only for you, Felicity.”

“Well, then…I would love to dance, baby.”

His eyes narrowed when she called him _baby_ and he leaned down to growl in her ear.  Felicity giggled and he grabbed her by the hand, leading her onto the dance floor, right into the middle of the throngs of elegantly attired people. She expected him to assume a properly framed ballroom hold – worthy of the lessons he’d been forced to take as a boy – but he didn’t.  Oliver reached around her instead, pulling her body tightly into his with one hand pressed to her bare back. With his other hand he grasped her fingers, winding them inside his own and resting them against his chest. She ran her free hand up to his shoulder as he started swaying, moving her slowly to the band’s sweet music. And then Oliver pressed his cheek against hers and started humming in her ear. 

Felicity closed her eyes to listen to him.  She found herself smiling, because Oliver’s hums were nowhere near in tune to the music, and at first she thought he might be tone deaf – which would mean she’d discovered the only thing in the world he wasn’t good at doing.  But, after she listened to him for a moment, she realized he was humming his own song, a song just for them.  And Felicity understood then that they were the only two souls in this palatial, packed, preened and perfumed room of people.  They were the only ones here, because Oliver created an entire world for her inside his arms.

Dear Lord, she loved him. She loved every single thing about him. She even loved the things she didn’t love about him.  And all of that emotion made her full and heavy and she leaned further into him for support, squeezing onto his fingers as he continued to move them slowly in place. His body heated her skin and his humming filled her ears and his hand traced circles against her lower back and, before Felicity even realized it, she was panting with need.

Oliver must have felt the change in her body.  He must have sensed the shift in her breathing pattern or noticed the way she’d curled her greedy fingers into his hair.  Because his mouth was on hers in an instant, kissing her within an inch of her life. Their tongues tangled and teased and explored as they held tight to each other’s bodies and it was an absolutely obscene kiss to share in the middle of an elegant society gathering. But Felicity couldn’t bring herself to care about any of that, and would have been perfectly happy to let it go on forever. Until she realized that the music had come to a swelling and glorious conclusion, and that everyone around them was now clapping in appreciation.

“I think they’re clapping for us,” Oliver whispered against her lips. 

Felicity laughed. “Well, of course they are. That was one hell of a kiss.”

He raised his head and Felicity looked up into his beautiful blues.  She could see the desire raging inside his heated gaze and she wet her lips. “You know, Oliver, this is a conference center.”

“Yes, I actually did know that; I kind-of built it.”

“Well then, you must know what that means.”

“What does it mean?”

“It means they definitely have a copy room around here somewhere.”

He smiled sinfully. “Why, my dear Miss Smoak, what on earth are you suggesting?”

“Oh, my darling Mr. Queen, I’m suggesting that we…ugh.”

His brow furrowed. “Ugh?”

She ducked her face into his chest.  “Sorry, I just saw Isabel. She’s over in the corner with some guy.”

Oliver exhaled harshly. “Damn, I really don’t want to deal with that, especially not tonight.  Let’s just walk the other way.  Maybe they won’t notice us.”

Felicity looked back to his eyes, able to plainly see the sincerity of his words.  He didn’t want his ex.  Right at this moment, Felicity knew without doubt that Oliver wanted her and her alone, and it lifted the weight of the world off her chest.

He took her by the hand again, pulling her off the dance floor and toward the back of the spacious room, winding around other couples as he headed toward the multitudinous glass doors overlooking the darkened golf green.  Bringing her close to his body, he whispered against her ear, “Let’s go outside.”

Felicity nodded.

They’d nearly escaped when Isabel cleared her throat behind them.  “Don’t be rude, Oliver.  Say hello.”

Oliver cursed under his breath, obviously disgruntled by the sound of his ex’s voice, and Felicity couldn’t help smiling just a little bit.  He grabbed hold of Felicity’s waist as she wound her arm around his back, and then Oliver turned them both as one unit to face the dark brunette. “Hello, Isabel.”

The woman stared, never looking at Felicity directly and yet obviously aware of the fact that Oliver’s side stayed glued to hers.  Isabel motioned to the man beside her, who looked as though he might pass a stick from his colon at any moment.  “You remember Carter?”

“Of course I do. And this is Felicity, my date.”

Isabel’s eyebrow arched. “Don’t you mean _secretary_?”

“ _No_ , I mean _date_.”

“Hmm.”

Isabel still didn’t acknowledge Felicity, but her companion showed far more interest.  “Hello, I’m Carter Bowen,” he stated, reaching his hand toward her.

Feeling the need to be polite, she took it.  “Felicity Smoak.”

Carter gripped her hand tightly and leaned down to kiss the back, his lips lingering against her skin. Oliver’s arm tightened around her and Felicity wrenched her fingers away.  Carter grinned at her, in a decidedly highbrow and yet disgustingly lecherous way, and she was amazed that he could do both at the same time.

“So…nice job on the design of this place, Queen.”

“Why, thank you, Bowen,” Oliver replied through tight lips, and Felicity could feel his back muscles twitch and strain beneath her hand.

Carter shrugged. “Of course, the Country Club in Coast City is much better.  My family prefers our membership there, but I’ll admit there are some interesting sights here tonight.”  Carter’s eyes drifted back to Felicity and she suddenly felt itchy all over.  She gripped the back of Oliver’s jacket in her fingers as Carter looked down to her chest.  “Nice necklace,” he said.

Felicity reached for the diamond reflexively.  “Thank you. It was a gift.”

Isabel’s sharp gaze descended on her for the first time.  “A gift from _Oliver_?”

Felicity wasn’t sure what happened inside her brain at that point, but something about Isabel’s haughty indignation, and the disdain with which she spit out his name, and the obvious strain in Oliver’s muscles beneath her fingertips, made Felicity mad as hell.  She was suddenly so furious with this woman, who’d been with Oliver for so long and yet never once looked at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread, and her next words popped out of her mouth before she could stop them.  “Yes, Oliver gave this to me.  He has impeccable taste in gifts, don’t you think?”

Felicity felt guilty almost immediately, as soon as she saw the look on Isabel’s face. But the woman masked her pain in an instant, and Felicity straightened herself inside Oliver’s firm, clutching grasp.

Isabel snorted and wrapped her hand around her companion’s upper arm.  “Come, Carter.  We need to mingle with other people.”

“Sure, sure,” Carter agreed. He glanced down at the cleavage beneath Felicity’s necklace before winking at her.  “Nice seeing you, Felicity.”

She encouraged her esophagus to maintain control of her stomach contents.

As the dynamic duo turned away, Oliver pulled Felicity even harder to his side.  He started walking again, continuing to lead her to the back of the crowded room.  She moved with him, wordlessly. His body felt so rigid beside her; she wasn’t even sure if he breathed.  When they’d finally crossed through a set of glass doors, and exited down the stone staircase and out into the warm night air, Oliver inhaled deeply. But he didn’t stop walking. “I’m sorry about that,” he apologized as he guided her farther and farther away.

“About what?”

“Isabel and Carter. I really wanted to avoid them.”

Felicity wrapped her arm tighter around his back, thankful to hold onto him as she attempted to maneuver the landscaped golf course green in her heels.  “That was a noble thought, but I don’t think it was reasonable. Her dad owns the place, after all.”

“Yeah, there’s that.” He kept walking, supporting her when her footing faltered. 

“Oliver, where are we going?”

“There’s a gazebo out here I want to show you.  It’s very well built.”

“Well built?”

“Yes.”

Felicity saw the gazebo in the distance.  The sounds from the party quieted as they approached the sizeable octagonal structure. When they finally reached the steps, Oliver released her and Felicity’s eyes drifted up the large, thick, smooth marble columns, extending all the way to the glass roof. “You’re right, Oliver. This gazebo is well built.”

He walked several feet away before turning back to face her, staring in silence.  Felicity couldn’t help noticing how the cut of the black tuxedo framed his body in angles against the dark green backdrop of plush lawn, and she felt each beat of her heart as she stared back at him.  Oliver was tall and broad, his muscles perfection.  She’d come to know his body so well…the feel, the heat, the taste. She wished there was a little more light now, enough to see the subtle nuances of his face.  But she could still see his eyes, could see how they fixed on her, piercing even in the darkness. 

The commotions of the ongoing gala were no more than gentle murmurs at this distance, and Felicity distinguished the chirping of frogs from the nearby lake, their soothing songs lending a soft soundtrack to the warm night.  She reached for her necklace, running the diamond back and forth on the chain, as she thought about what had just happened.  “Oliver, can I ask you something?”

The muscle in his jaw twitched, and Felicity wasn’t sure if he would answer.  But then, after a moment, he nodded.

“Why didn’t you ever buy gifts for Isabel?”

He didn’t reply at all this time; he just kept staring at her. 

Felicity stilled, her fingers clutching the sparkly gem.  “It’s just, I don’t really understand it, because I know you’re such a generous person.”

“ _Generous_?  I’ve never been called that before.”

“But you are generous, in so many ways…especially with your ideas and your time. You always answered my business questions, always listened to my suggestions, and always paid attention to my ideas, even if you didn’t agree with them.”  Felicity’s hands fell to her sides.  “Is it because your family didn’t give gifts, so you thought it was unimportant for her?”

Oliver ran his fingers roughly through his hair, exhaling sharply before he replied. “That would be the easy thing for me to say, wouldn’t it?  I could just blame it on my parents.  But the fact of the matter is that I was an adult and I understood what I was doing. Buying gifts would have been the appropriate thing to do, especially for someone I’d been with for so long.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No, I didn’t,” he said, shaking his head as he continued to watch her.  “I just didn’t ever care enough.  I realize that now.”

Oliver took a step toward her then, with a positively sinful, predatory, devouring look in his eyes, and Felicity felt a shiver run down her spine.  She wasn’t sure if people were supposed to look at other people like this; the only thing she knew for certain was that no one else had ever looked at her the way Oliver was right now.  It both terrified and exhilarated her, and Felicity stepped back on instinct, reaching behind her for support.  Her hands found one of the gazebo’s thick marble columns and she leaned back, letting the bare skin revealed by her gown’s low backline touch the cool, smooth surface.

“Can I ask you something else?” she questioned, her voice breathier than she expected.

Still stalking silently forward, Oliver nodded again.

“Why did you let me start buying gifts for your family?”

He stopped in front of her, the muscled wall of his chest just inches away from her body, and Felicity nibbled against her lip as she looked up to meet his eyes. Oliver inhaled deeply, staring into her for a long moment, before his deep voice worked its way from his chest to move across her skin.  “Because I knew you were doing it for the right reasons, Felicity.  I knew your heart was in the right place.  And because Isabel hated my family, and she didn’t want us to have anything to do with them, and I had just…let that happen. I hadn’t been in contact with my brother or sister in years, and I didn’t want it to be that way.”

Oliver paused, reaching his fingers to her mouth and tracing his thumb against her lower lip. He watched the movement intently as he started speaking again.  “And then one day, not long after you’d started working with me, you came bouncing into my office – with your ponytail bobbing around your shoulders and your beautiful smile lighting up these perfect pink lips – and you asked me about my family. I remember that moment like it was yesterday.  I remember staring at you for the longest time, not really sure where you’d come from, or how you’d even come to be in my life, but just knowing with absolutely certainty that you could fix everything.  I _wanted_ you to fix it…and you did.  I started talking to Thea and Barry again right after you sent the first gift for Thea’s birthday.”

Felicity listened in awe.  His intent gaze studied her, his body so close that she could feel his furnace-like heat radiating across her skin.  When he moved his hand to the side of her face, drawing his fingers across her jaw, she locked her knees to keep from swaying. 

“Felicity, I have a confession to make.”

“What confession, Oliver?”

“I don’t give a damn about this gazebo.  I just wanted to get you alone.  I just wanted to touch you, with no one else watching.”

He traced the length of her neck, easing across the diamond before smoothing over the hint of cleavage highlighted in shimmering red.  “I missed you so much last night…the smell of your hair, the sound of your voice, the feel of your skin on mine.  I wanted to get my hands on you the minute you got here tonight, to have you all to myself, to figure out a way to get this gorgeous dress crumpled onto the floor. It’s been excruciating, not being able to touch you the way I want to.”  His fingertips traced the neckline of her gown, running just inside the edge of the fabric. “But then I got to have a taste of you on that dance floor.  I got to hold you against me, to listen to your soft, panting breaths in my ear, to feel your body responding to mine, to kiss your sweet lips. I damn near took you right there, in front of all those people.  It was all I could do to restrain myself.  And, I must confess, I am not in the mood to practice restraint any longer.”

Felicity sighed as she gave in. Her hands pulled against his shoulders, urging his mouth onto hers.  She traced her tongue across his lips, teasing him until he took control of her trembling kiss. His fingers ran across her arms and down her sides, settling on her hips, the heat of his skin branding her through the thin material of her dress.   

When his mouth moved down her neck, nipping and suckling her sensitive skin, Felicity could barely catch her breath.  She grasped him to her, in tune to every incredible sensation he created.  Her eyes rolled upward, toward the dark sky, and she saw the stars twinkling overhead, as if they were sparkling just for her and him. And the beauty of it all just overwhelmed her, filling her heart with sheer happiness, reminding her to thank the heavens that she’d been given this moment – and every moment of the last few weeks – to live her dreams.   

Giddy with joy, Felicity clung to him as she whispered, “Baby?”

He growled against her throat. “Yes?”

“Since we’re apparently making confessions tonight, I should make one, too.”

Oliver eased back to look in her eyes.  “What confession, Felicity?”

“It’s about the crush I had on you when we first met.”

“What about it?”

“Do you still want to know when it ended?”

Oliver stilled, watching her closely.  “I thought it ended when you started dating Clay.”

She grinned and shook her head.  “No. Not then.”

His brow rose. “When you were with Cooper?”

“No. Not even then.”

He inched closer, his body now pressing hers against the marble.  “When did it end?”

“It didn’t end. Not ever.”

Oliver stopped moving, stopped breathing.  He stared at her.

Felicity’s entire body froze as she waited for him to respond.

Then he grabbed hold of her, his hands on either side of her face, grounding her to him as he pinned her with his eyes.  “ _Dear God, Felicity_ …are you telling me right now that you’ve wanted me for six solid years?”

She swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes.”

His head shook, almost imperceptibly.  “But… _why_ …why didn’t you say anything?”

“What was I supposed to say? It’s not like I could have you. You were terminally unavailable.”

Oliver exhaled slowly, still holding her gaze.  Then his forehead collapsed onto her shoulder and he cursed.  “Damn it.  _Damn it._   So much time wasted. So much time.  I don’t want to waste another second.”  He lifted his head, looking back to her eyes. “Being without you last night – being all alone in that huge, hollow house – it killed me. I don’t ever want to be without you again, Felicity.  Not ever.”

His mouth returned to hers, only harder this time.  Like he was claiming his territory and he didn’t want there to be any question. Felicity didn’t question it. She opened to the exploration of his eager tongue, threading her fingers into his hair as his hot body imprinted itself on her skin.  She lost herself in the moment, in the fantasy of _her_ Oliver, wrapped in her arms, telling her in no uncertain terms that this was where she belonged.

She felt his hand trail downward, across her hip and onto her thigh, but paid little attention; she was too caught up in the heady desire of his kiss, in the deep pleasure of their entwined tongues.  When he pulled up her skirt, bunching the fabric in his fingers, she took it as an opportunity to wrap her freed leg around him, urging him closer.  Oliver grabbed her bare thigh and hitched her leg up higher, around his waist.  Then he pushed the fingers of his other hand between them, tracing the laced edge of her exposed panties.

Felicity moaned, clinging to him in desperation.

“I want to touch you. I want to feel you,” he growled against her lips.  His fingers dipped beneath the lace, pressing against her.  A moment later he delved into the hot recess of her body, first with one finger, then two.

Felicity gasped as she writhed against his hand.

Oliver pressed the side of his face against hers, his rapid breaths warming the skin beside her ear. “Tell me about your crush, Felicity. Tell me everything. Tell me how much you’ve wanted me.”

“I wanted you…from the first moment…I saw you,” she panted, focused on the sensation of his fingers moving in and out, back and forth, against her.

“You wanted me to touch you like this?”

“Yes. _Yes_.”

“I love touching you.” His skilled hand worked faster, sliding across her slick flesh.  “I love how wet you always are for me.  It’s like your entire body just begs to have me inside you.” 

She groaned, clinging to his shoulders for support as her hips rocked involuntarily.

“Tell me how long you’ve wanted me, Felicity.”

She forced air in and out of her lungs.  “Every. Damn.  Day.  For. Six.  Years.”

Oliver smiled against her neck. “That’s a long time.” He sucked her earlobe into his mouth and bit down.  “How many fantasies have you had about me?  More than a hundred?”

Felicity whimpered. “More than a thousand.”

“ _A_ _thousand_? You’ve been busy.”

“Yes,” she admitted, too aroused to be ashamed.

His lips moved against her hair.  “I’ll make them all come true.  I swear I will.” Pushing two fingers deep inside her, he pressed his thumb against her tight bundle of nerves.

Felicity lost it. She cried out, her screams muffled by his mouth as he kissed her again, long and hard, sucking on her tongue and swallowing her moans.  She ground down onto his fingers, her inner muscles contracting desperately around them. Grasping at his neck, she urged him closer, meeting his tongue with impatient fervor.  She kissed him over and over, waiting for the thrumming of her body to stop.  But it wouldn’t. It just wouldn’t.

Somehow, the insane orgasm he’d just given her hadn’t brought her any relief. Somehow, it only made things worse. He’d simply set her on fire, and made her quake and tremble and ache and burn.  “God, I want you,” she murmured, frantic hands running down his shoulders to his chest.

His mouth pulled into a grin. “Later tonight. In our bed.”

She shook her head. “Now.”

“Felicity…”

“Now, Oliver! I want you _now_.”

Her eager fingers found the waist of his pants and quickly freed his thick, straining erection. She pulled her dress higher, pushing her panties to the ground.  Then Felicity stopped moving and stared into his eyes. He didn’t say another word. He lifted her, pinning her against the marble column before bringing her down hard against him, filling her completely.

Oliver’s sharp inhale echoed her own and Felicity kept staring into him as he edged slowly out of her body and back in again.  “It feels really good having you inside me,” she whispered, hands fisting into his hair. “And by _you_ …I mean _all_ of you.”

He smiled slowly and nipped at her jaw.  “Does this count as a fantasy?”

“Mmm-hmm. Absolutely.”

“Only nine hundred ninety-nine to go.”

“Excuse me, but I said _over_ a thousand.”

He slid in again, even deeper this time, the smooth, gliding sensation of flesh on flesh sending little jolts of electricity throughout her entire body.  “I’m so sorry I misspoke,” he offered as he lifted her knees higher, pushing up to hit the perfect spot inside her. 

“Oooh,” she moaned, “you’re forgiven.”

Oliver smiled and Felicity watched him as long as she could, while he took his sweet time moving in and out of her, rocking her hips against the cool stone at her back. She held onto his arms, feeling his biceps strain against the tuxedo material as he supported her, feeling his strong fingers dig into the bared flesh of her hips.  She watched him as the incredible sensations swelled higher inside her, until the blissful waves prepared to overtake her body and her mind once again. Then she closed her eyes, leaning her head against the marble.

Oliver grabbed her face in one hand, pulling her back to him.  “Look at me, Felicity,” he demanded, his voice strained with desire. “I want to see you.”

She refocused on him. In the dark haze, in the starlit night, his eyes were the deepest, most fathomless blue she’d ever seen. Nothing was more powerful than the desire within them.  His desire for her. Only her.

Oliver kept staring at her, eyes wild with hunger as he drove into her again and again, until he thrust into her one last time, pulling her hips down hard and emptying himself inside her. She watched the pleasure move over his face, watched the emotion in his eyes go deeper still, and knowing that he’d found his release inside the warmth of her body brought her to the edge so fast that she was falling before she even thought to catch herself. Felicity screamed, her body shuddering uncontrollably against him, and Oliver growled as he clamped her against him, arms banding around her like steel.

He held her against the stone, their bodies still entwined as they breathed in rapid synchronicity. Oliver pressed his lips to her cheek and her neck and Felicity sighed, because she was spent and sated and warm and happy, and she collapsed into him, her head rolling onto his shoulder. The cool touch of the marble to her bare back reminded her of where they were and she smiled to herself, knowing there was a time, not long ago, when she would have thought she was trapped between two marble columns. 

She used to think of Oliver as a pillar of stone – handsome, hardened, structural perfection. But now she realized just how wrong she’d been.  The incredible man holding onto her was strong and solid, but he wasn’t cold or inanimate. He was deeply affectionate and intensely passionate.  He wasn’t a marble column, and she could snuggle up to him just fine. 

When Oliver finally released her, letting her toes reach the ground again, Felicity was drunk with pleasure. After pulling up his zipper, Oliver knelt down to find her panties and draw them back up to her hips. He straightened her dress, running his hands over her stomach and legs, smoothing out the fabric until everything was back in place.  Then he searched the ground for her heels and eased them back onto her feet.

Felicity giggled. “Did my shoes fall off?”

He peered up at her and smiled.  “Yes.”

“I don’t even remember that.”

Oliver stood slowly, aligning his body with hers.  “I remember everything.”

She pressed against him. “I already want you again.”

“Such an appetite, Miss Smoak.”

“Only for you, Mr. Queen.”

He reached to her face, holding her steady as he stared into her eyes.  “This is the beginning for us, Felicity.  We’re starting over fresh.  Here, tonight. No rules.  No limits.  Just tell me you’ll come home with me.  Please tell me you’ll come home.”

Felicity stared up into him, knowing what she wanted to say.  Knowing how tired she was of trying to hide her beautifully insane feelings for this wondrous man.  But she was also painfully aware of another couple stumbling toward the gazebo, touching and talking and giggling as they came.

Oliver noticed the intruders at the same time, and grabbed Felicity’s hand, pulling her around the side of the large octagon.  They circled back toward the party as the new couple reached the gazebo stairs and started kissing. Felicity tiptoed beside Oliver as best she could in her silver heels.  “Do you think they saw us?”

He shook his head. “No, we’re okay.”

She exhaled as the noises from the party escalated.  “Thank goodness. I wouldn’t want to ruin your good reputation, not with so many new clients here tonight.”

“Are you kidding? I barely kept myself from assaulting you on the dance floor.  I would have gladly taken you up against the bar in the main banquet hall, right in front of everyone, if I thought I’d have enough time to satisfy you properly before security threw us out.”

Felicity leaned into him as she laughed, only straightening when they reached the County Club again and she saw an elderly gentleman step out of the back doors, puffing on a cigar.  She nodded at the distinguished man, attempting formality. Looking up to the multitudinous glass doors that marked the entry back into the main room, Felicity eased one foot onto the steps.  But then Oliver tugged on her hand, bringing her back to the grass.  He stood in front of her, meeting her eyes with his intent stare.

“Felicity,” he whispered, holding tight to her hand as he pulled her even closer. “I promise I’m not going to hound you about us anymore tonight, because I know you’re aware of what I want. You know the future I see, with the two of us, together.  So I’m going to go to the bar now, and get us drinks, and then spend the rest of the evening enjoying your company.  And when I drive home tonight, I hope you’ll be in the seat beside me.”

Felicity didn’t have time to respond before Oliver smiled softly, pressed a sweet, gentle kiss to her lips, and walked up the stairs.  She stood for a moment, watching him disappear into the crowd, and her legs swayed a bit on the uneven ground.  And then she climbed the steps and entered the main room in a daze.  She’d come here alone tonight, trying to keep an open mind and an open heart despite the doubts that still shadowed her heart, but now she realized she didn’t have to be alone anymore.  Tonight, she would go home with Oliver.  She never had to be without him again. 

She smiled as she strolled, a secret smile that spoke of joy and contentment and love, and her entire body felt like it was floating.  Not paying enough attention to her surroundings, she floated right into a severely Botoxed woman who reeked of scotch.  “I’m so sorry,” Felicity apologized, steadying the woman with a hand on her arm.

The woman eyed her while attempting to frown.

Felicity flushed, wondering how disheveled she must look after her recent columnar encounter. “Excuse me, please,” she said, moving past the woman to look for the restroom.

She found it, but the ladies’ lounge was more of a living room, nearly as big as the Pooch Palace. Felicity felt dwarfed the moment she stepped inside, but it did offer refuge from the sights and sounds of the ongoing gala.  After using the facilities and tending to her appearance, Felicity realized she was alone in the huge room. She allowed herself a moment’s respite by flopping onto an overstuffed sofa, resting her head back and closing her eyes. She could still smell Oliver’s spicy scent on her dress, could still feel his arm around her waist, where it had been most of the night.  Her feet throbbed a bit inside her heels, but it was okay, because she knew Oliver would rub them for her when they got home. 

_Home_.

Their home, together.

“So you’re Oliver’s secretary.”

Felicity’s eyes popped open. She stared up, into Isabel Rochev’s angular face.  And then she looked around the still-empty room, wondering where the stealthy creature had come from. She swallowed hard against the sudden dryness in her throat.  “No, I’m not his secretary anymore.”

“Hmm. Did he fire you?”

Felicity stood from the couch, hands trembling as she backed toward the door.  “Not that it’s your business, but I resigned.”

“You quit? Why?  Did he lie to you?  Use you?”

Felicity shook her head, disgusted that this woman – who had been in Oliver’s arms just two short months ago – could stand here and speak about him so foully.  “No.  Oliver would never lie to me; he would never use me.  I know him, and he’s an incredible person, and I don’t care to listen to this, so…”

“Did he tell you about the pregnancy?”

Felicity’s feet stilled, her eyes widening.  “ _Pregnancy_?  What pregnancy?”

“ _Our_ pregnancy.”  Isabel’s hand fluttered to her abdomen, bony fingers stroking her still-flat belly.

Felicity stared at the movement for a long minute, in a stupor.  Then she looked back to Isabel’s face, seeing a smile spread her thin lips. Felicity could barely believe it, but then she watched Isabel nod in confirmation.  And Felicity realized that, somehow, Isabel had managed to tell her something even worse than her worst fears.

Felicity’s heart sank. It sank so far she wasn’t sure she would ever find it again.

“He’s not very forthcoming, is he?” Isabel asked with a distinct note of satisfaction. “He never is.  Plays things very close to the vest, that one. But, obviously, you know him _so well_ , so I’m sure everything will turn out just fine between the two of you.”  With those words, she brushed past Felicity and out the door, heels clicking brusquely against the polished floors.

Felicity stood in the empty room, stunned.  Beyond stunned.

_Isabel is going to have Oliver’s baby._

_That’s it.  He will be connected to her forever, and I can’t have him._

Felicity’s heartbeat thrummed in her ears, pounding so fast she thought it would burst from her skin. Nausea swept over her, roiling through her gut, and she didn’t think anymore.  She got the hell out of there.  Out of the bathroom, through the crowd, and toward the front doors, as fast as her legs could move in her form-fitting gown. 

She’d made it nearly outside when a hand caught hers.  Felicity turned to find Tommy beside her, concern etched on his face.  “Felicity?  Where are you going?”

“Leaving.”

“Why?”

She shook her head, breathless. “W-would you just tell Oliver I’m not feeling well?  I – I have to go.”

She attempted escape but Tommy pulled her back.  “Damn, Felicity, what did he do?”

The tears came, hot and salty, to her eyes.  She couldn’t cry here. She wouldn’t.  “Goodbye, Tommy.”  Pulling away, she ran for her car.

... 

An hour later, Caitlin’s pants were soaked through to her skin.  Felicity had apologized a hundred times, but still couldn’t stop crying as she lay on the couch in her friend’s apartment, with her head in Cate’s lap.

“Quit saying sorry,” Cate protested. “I have other pants. Just get it all out.”

Felicity let several more tears fall; she couldn’t have stopped them anyway.

Cate petted her hair. “Are you absolutely sure she didn’t make the pregnancy up?”

“Why would she? That wouldn’t make any sense, not when Oliver was so close by.  All I had to do was ask him.”

“But you didn’t ask him.”

“No! What would be the point? To watch him go back to her in front of my eyes?”

“You know that is a completely irrational thought, right?  He wouldn’t do that, he…”  Felicity’s phone rang, buzzing against the coffee table and cutting off Cate’s words. She glanced over to see the picture of Oliver’s face on the screen.  “That’s eight times in the past hour, Felicity.  Oliver isn’t going to leave you alone.”

“I know, I know, I just…I can’t handle it right now.”

“Maybe he wants to apologize.”

“And what would I say to that? _Oh, that’s okay, Oliver, its no big deal that you didn’t tell me your ex is pregnant with your baby_.  I mean, maybe I could actually forgive him for keeping something this monumental a secret, Cate. Maybe I could chalk it up to the fact that his parents were cold and emotionless and never showed him how to open up, and so he’s spent his whole life collecting blankets, trying to make himself warm. Maybe I could reason all that out and be fine with it.  But how in the hell am I supposed to compete with a Billionaire Baby Mama?”

Felicity sat up, brushing away the melted mascara on her cheek as she stared at her friend. “I can’t.  I can’t compete with her.”

“Of course you could, but that’s not even an issue, because there is no competition,” Cate insisted, her brow furrowing as she looked into Felicity’s red-rimmed eyes. “You’re not exactly thinking clearly right now, honey.  I know this is a lot to absorb, and I know you’re in a tailspin, but you’ve got to realize, deep down, that Oliver doesn’t want her, even with the pregnancy. Oliver only wants you.”

“It doesn’t matter. He’s going to be a dad. Eventually, that reality is going to sink in. And Isabel will always be there. Forever.”

Cate sighed and shook her head, her shoulders slumping.  Then she reached out to grab Felicity’s hand.  “So, what are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know. I just…I feel so lost, Cate.”

“Do you want to know what I think?”

“What? Please tell me. I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.”

“I think you need to get away for a few days.”

Felicity sniffled. “Really?  You want me to leave?  But what about you?  I’m supposed to start helping you at the Palace.  That was the whole purpose of me quitting.”

Cate shrugged. “You haven’t had a vacation in a long time, Felicity. You’ve worked every single day for two straight years – during the week with Oliver and on the weekends at the Palace – and then every night you took classes and studied. And then, after two years of stress and hard work, you wrapped it all up by taking revenge on your boss and then entering into a bizarre, highly emotional relationship with him that you honestly had no chance of coming away from unscathed.  So you just…you need to leave now, and get out of town for a bit. I’ll manage another week on my own at the Palace.  You need some time to get your head on straight.”

“I don’t know if it will ever be straight again.”

“It will be; you just have some thinking to do.  And you know you can call me anytime.  I’d go with you if I could.”

“I wish you could come; you’re always the voice of reason.  Not an emotional wreck like me.”

“A very lovely emotional wreck.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Fresh tears streamed down Felicity’s face.  “Please take care of our little palace, Cate.  I’m gonna need something to come back to.”

... 

**A/N:**   So, um, I really do love you guys; please don’t curse me :)  I promise you, promise you, I am a happy endings kind of girl!  Tina 

Up next…Chapter 18:  Life Doesn’t Always Take You Where You Think It Will


	18. Life Doesn't Always Take You Where You Think It Will

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the passionate comments on the last chapter, and for still being here with me. I so, so appreciate it :) Tina

Oliver pulled his car up to the Pooch Palace Sunday morning after suffering through the night, calling Felicity incessantly and to no avail. He hadn’t seen or heard from her since he’d left to get them drinks at the party the evening before. He had no idea what happened with her – just that she’d run out, past Tommy, and not returned.

He couldn’t figure out what went wrong.  Things seemed so right; he truly believed she would be with him when he drove home. She’d admitted she still had her crush and, even though it wasn’t love, Oliver hoped it might be, one day.

But then she left, and he hadn’t had a moment’s peace since, and he knew he wouldn’t have any peace again…not until he had her back in his arms.

Pulling his keys from the ignition, Oliver stepped out of the car and walked up the sidewalk to the porch-wrapped pink house.  He climbed the stairs and then held his breath as he opened the front door, wanting her to just appear before him.  She didn’t.

Caitlin stood behind the tall front desk, turning when she heard the overhead bell jingle.  She met his eyes and stilled. 

Oliver closed the door behind him and moved toward her. “Hi, Cate.”

“Hi, Oliver.”

He exhaled, grateful she spoke. “I don’t suppose she’s here?”

“No. Sorry.”

Oliver shook his head as he stopped on the other side of the desk.  “It was worth a shot.”

Cate observed him. “I am glad you came by, though.”

“Yeah? Why’s that?”

“I wanted to thank you for building the dog gym.  It’s brought in bunches of new clients and the pooches love it.   It’s just what we wanted.”

“You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help you, and Felicity. She’s done so much for me through the years.”

“Well, I still wanted to say thanks.”

Oliver leaned forward on the desktop, pinning Cate with his eyes, desperately needing this woman to help him. “I’m worried as hell about her, Cate. The only thing she said to Tommy before she left the party was she wasn’t feeling well.  I’ve driven by her apartment; her car is gone. She won’t answer her cell. Please just tell me she’s okay.”

“She’s okay, Oliver.”

His shoulders dropped and he exhaled.  “Thank you.”

“How about you? Are you okay?”

Oliver clenched his hands together on the tall desk, watching his knuckles whiten.  “I’m…miserable.” 

Cate gave him a sympathetic smile.  “Yeah, I can see that.”

“It’s that obvious?”

“Yes.”

He stared her down. “I need her back, Cate. God, I need her back. Do you know why she left?”

Cate nodded.

“Will you please tell me?”

“I can’t; I’m sorry. You guys have to work that out on your own.”

“But we can’t work anything out if I can’t talk to her.  Will you tell me where she is?”

“I can’t do that, either.”

Oliver raked a hand through his hair and blew out a breath.

“Look, I’m sorry, I really am,” Cate offered.  “I’ve been your advocate through all of this and, believe me, I know what a mess Felicity can be. I want you guys to work out. She loves you more than life itself and if you don’t end up together, she’ll be miserable forever and…”

Oliver’s eyes widened as he listened to her words.  “She loves me?”

“What?”

“You said she loves me.”

“Um, yeah. I just figured you already knew, because it’s so incredibly obvious.”

He shook his head. _Obvious to everyone but me, apparently_.  “How long has she been in love with me?”

Cate shrugged. “I don’t know; what day did she start working for you, exactly?”

Oliver glanced down to his clasped hands.  “Damn, I’m slow,” he muttered.

“Excuse me?”

He looked back to her. “Nothing.”

She smiled. “You know, Oliver, apparently that was a huge mistake I just made, when I _accidentally_ told you that Felicity is head-over-heels, insatiably, ridiculously, and desperately in love with you, and has been for six years. I mean, I shouldn’t have said that at all, and obviously it was just a slip of the tongue, so I’m thinking maybe it could be our little secret.”

Oliver laughed as he watched the giddy brunette.  “Sure, Cate, it will be our secret.  Can you at least tell me when she’ll be back?”

“Saturday. She’ll be working here all day.”

He straightened from the desktop. “Alright.  Thank you…for everything.”

“You’re welcome. I take it you’ll be around?”

“Absolutely. Whether she likes it or not.”

“Even though she’s stubborn as hell and flies off the handle periodically and becomes completely irrational at the most inopportune moments?”

He chuckled. “Yes.”

“You’re going to have your hands full with her.  You know that, right?”

Oliver smiled. “I look forward to it.”

A look of satisfaction lit Cate’s face.  “Good.”

He nodded, turned, and walked out of the door.  When his feet hit the front steps, Oliver stood, staring down at his Mercedes. He didn’t want to get back in the car without Felicity.  He didn’t want to do anything without her.  He just missed her so bad, and it hurt like hell. 

At least he knew that she loved him.  Hopefully, it would be enough to fix whatever was wrong.  Now he just had to figure out how to get through the next week without her.

 ...

When Felicity left Starling Saturday night after the gala, Cate had given her simple instructions: don’t talk to anyone, especially not Oliver.  Just be alone for a week and think.

The first thing Felicity did after she checked into her hotel room in Central City was collapse on the bed and start crying again.  She cried almost non-stop for a day and a half, and then she passed out cold and slept for twelve hours.  When she eventually woke up, she forced herself to leave the hotel.  Over the next couple of days, she went to the local museum and visited the art galleries.  And she found the cutest little coffee shop, where she could sit by herself at a tall table and drink a non-fat latte with extra sugar.

Usually she loved it up here in Central City, because it just seemed sunny all the time, like it was the perfect place where nothing bad happed.  She imagined that even bad guys in Central City would have cute little nicknames. All this beauty and sunshine would normally turn her sour thoughts to happy ones.  But she couldn’t bring herself to be happy, because the only thing she needed, and all she wanted, was to be with Oliver. 

All she could think about was him. When she was at the museum, she wished she could hold his hand and ask what he thought of the artwork. When she was at the coffee shop, she wanted him to be sitting across from her, and she wanted to invite Barry to meet them there, so they could talk and laugh and just be together. When she was in her hotel room, she wanted to leave, to go back to Starling and walk straight into Oliver’s house, knowing that it was actually home.  Their home, together. 

Oliver had asked her to do just that, the night of the gala.  He’d asked her to come home with him, and that was all she’d wanted to do. That night had been magical and perfect and showed her a life she’d wanted for a long as she could remember.

Now, after everything that had happened, Felicity didn’t know much…but she did know two things. The first was that Oliver wanted to be with her; he’d made it perfectly clear that night – and, honestly, over the entire last month – that he wanted her, and no one else. And the second thing was that she loved him, and that she would always love him, no matter what. And knowing these two things forced her to acknowledge that the reason she’d been sitting alone in Central City all week wasn’t because of Oliver, it was because of her.

On Friday evening, after spending six full days here, Felicity found herself back at the hotel. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring out the window.  Tomorrow was Saturday, and she would have to go back to the real world first thing in the morning. Part of her wanted nothing more than to do just that, even with the mess that still existed inside her heart. But the other part of her knew she needed to resolve this muddle of emotions, before she could go anywhere.

She’d tried to think in fits and spurts all week, but every time she tried she just felt so emotionally overwhelmed, even worse than normal.  She figured it must be because of what had happened at the party. Everything before Isabel found her in the ladies’ room had just been so perfect and wonderful, as if all her fantasies were coming true.  But then – when the silver platter she’d been handed had been jerked away – it felt like the entire planet spun out of control, and she’d panicked and done the exact wrong thing…she’d run.

Now, after almost a week of being alone, Felicity had one emotion that usurped all the others. _Guilt_. She felt guilty as hell for running: running away from her problems, running away from her fears, running away from the man she loved.

The puzzling thing was that Caitlin was the one who’d told her to run.  Cate – who’d been the person to encourage Felicity to date Oliver and to love Oliver and to just be with Oliver – had, in the end, been the person who told her to leave. And, now that she’d taken Cate’s advice, and spent the past six days so miserably alone and physically drained that she’d actually woken up sick to her stomach for the last two, Felicity realized that her friend had played her perfectly.

“You’re a genius, Caitlyn Snow,” she whispered to herself.  “You told me to run, to get me to realize that it wasn’t what I should have done.”

Felicity shook her head at the thought of her friend’s brilliance, and then her stomach grumbled at her again. She rubbed her belly to try to get it to calm down.  Her body was probably finally revolting against her after all the stress she’d put it through in the last two years.  Not to mention the emotional overload of the last month and, more specifically, this past week.

But her stomach would just have to calm down right now, because Felicity had serious work to do. Tomorrow she would be returning to Starling, and to the Pooch Palace, and to real life, and she had to somehow make sense of everything tonight, because she was out of time.

As she stared out of her hotel window, watching the sun sink between two skyscrapers, Felicity returned to the two things she knew with absolute certainty:  Oliver wanted to be with her, and she loved him, no matter what. With those thoughts refreshed, Felicity took a deep breath in and smiled.  Then she exhaled, and her shoulders relaxed, and she knew this was clearest her mind had felt in over a month.

Straightening herself on the mattress, she forced herself to think back to that night at the gala, and to remember the moment when Isabel told her she was pregnant. Felicity’s gut roiled again now, just as it had then.  In that moment, Isabel told her something even worse than the worst thing she thought she could imagine, and it broke something inside her, and she’d hurt more than she’d ever hurt in her life.

She could still feel that pain and panic now, so clearly, but she pushed it down, working to keep her emotions at bay and think this through logically.  “Come on, Smoak,” she spoke aloud, because she really needed someone to talk to, so it may as well be herself.  “Use your brain and figure this out.  Start at the beginning, first things first.”  Felicity took another deep breath and worked to focus.  “Okay, possible life outcome number one…Isabel could have made the pregnancy up and just been lying to my face.”

She paused to consider that thought.  “Well, that is the happiest scenario for me, of course…but it doesn’t make sense, does it? All I had to do was walk up to Oliver and ask if she was pregnant.  And he would have said, ‘No, absolutely not.’  And then he would have told me Isabel was crazy and vindictive and then that would have driven and even bigger wedge between them.”  Felicity sighed, wishing so hard that it could have all happened just that way.  “But I saw how Isabel looked at him when she showed up in the office two weeks ago, and I saw the pain written on her face at the party when she realized Oliver had given me a gift. I can see, so clearly, the longing and the possessiveness in her eyes when she looks at him, so I know the last thing she would want is to make the rift between them even bigger.” She shook her head slowly. “So, no…I don’t think she was lying about being pregnant.”

Felicity grasped her hands together in front of her, squeezing her fingers together as she tried to settle into that reality.  “Alright then,” she forced herself to go on, “scenario number two is that Isabel is pregnant, but she never told Oliver about the baby, so he never knew to tell me. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make sense either, because she pretty much told me he knew, and it’s also so obvious that she still wants to be with him.  Being pregnant with his baby would only help her cause, so she definitely would have shared that information with him.”   

Felicity quieted for a moment, hesitant to move on.  But then she cleared her throat and continued.  “Which brings me to possibility number three, which is that Oliver knew Isabel was pregnant and chose not to tell me.”

This was the possibility that had hurt the most when Felicity heard the news.  But now, after the time she’d had to clear her head, she acknowledged something she’d truly always known:  Oliver would never hurt her, not on purpose. If anything, Oliver would try to protect her from everything, at all costs.  So, if he didn’t tell her about the pregnancy, then there had to be a reason. She just needed to put herself in Oliver’s shoes and figure out what that reason was.

Pressing her lips together, Felicity stared out of the now-dark window to the city below. The sun had fallen, but she could still see all the lights that stretched out into the night. Her mind drifted back to that first day with Oliver at the restaurant, when she’d given him her resignation. They’d been staring at each other across the table, and Oliver had insisted that he wanted to date her, even after she’d already quit.  Felicity couldn’t quite believe her ears at that moment, so she’d asked him what had happened between him and Isabel. 

“But Oliver couldn’t have told me everything then,” she realized.  “He would have known that I would most likely say ‘no’ to dating a man whose on-again, off-again, ex was newly pregnant with his baby.  He probably figured he could find a better time and place to tell me later, if there even was a later.  After all, at that point, I’d already told him that I would only be working with him for four more weeks, and he had no idea if our relationship would ever get far enough, or last long enough, for the pregnancy to matter.”

Felicity remembered her mindset at that moment in the restaurant, remembered how incredulous and then crazed she’d been, and the insanely emotional decisions she’d made later that day. “However, even if Oliver had decided that he was going to tell me everything about Isabel once we were officially in a relationship, the fact remains that I never offered him a relationship. No, I offered to be his love coach instead, and I spent a week taking out my stupid revenge, and then I put the icing on that cake by making him shovel dog crap.  And really, that should have ended any possibility of a relationship between us.” 

Felicity’s heart squeezed tight with that horrifying thought, with even the consideration that she would never have gotten to know Oliver, or hold him, or love him, the way she had in the past few weeks.  “But, amazingly, it didn’t end us.  Oliver came right back to me the next day.  He came back to build me shelves and to say he was sorry and to give me sketches for my doggy gym.  He didn’t have to do any of that.  Any logical man would definitely have turned and run the other way after what I’d done. But Oliver wasn’t being logical anymore, because something emotional already existed between us and he knew that. He may not have understood it completely, but it was enough to bring him back.  And then we ended up attacking each other on my desk, and we wound up back at his place, about to be together physically for the first time.”

Felicity recalled that night, when she’d stood in Oliver’s living room and looked out into his big backyard. She remembered how he’d come up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her, and nestled his chin on top of her head, and breathed in deep, like he just wanted to inhale her into his body because she was the best thing he could imagine.  “Oliver was so sweet and so kind at that moment, and he was worried about the physical intimacy going too fast for me, and he offered to hold off, even though I know he wanted me just as much as I wanted him.  And I did want him; I wanted everything with him.  But the thing I wanted most was for him to let me inside, so I asked him about Isabel again.”

Felicity cringed, remembering Oliver’s frustration when she’d begged him to confide in her. She could see now why he wouldn’t have wanted to tell her then that Isabel was pregnant.  “He would have figured that things would immediately end between us, when we’d only just made our apologies to each other, and our relationship had just barely begun.  He knew that wasn’t the right time to tell me, because it would mean that we would already be over, so he didn’t tell me.  And I thought his refusal to confide in me meant that he still had feelings for Isabel, so I freaked out, as usual, and told him I only wanted an affair.” 

Felicity huffed out a breath, shaking her head as she considered all their mistakes. “My Lord, it’s amazing the two of us even managed to get together at all.”

It was almost funny to her now, how badly they’d managed to mess things up at first. “And then we started spending all of our time together, working together and living together and being all over each other 24/7.  I had originally told him it was just an affair, but I know that was never what Oliver wanted.   He wanted it to be more, and he showed me that the morning of gym-building day.  That was the morning Oliver made love to me – _really_ made love to me – for the first time. Something changed between us then, and I was so emotionally involved at that point that I couldn’t even see straight, and Oliver was emotionally involved, too.  That night, when we sat on the couch together and he rubbed my feet and we talked, I could see in his eyes just how much he wanted to be with me. And I thought, if he would just open up to me, that everything would be perfect between us, and so I asked him again what happened with Isabel.” 

Her breath caught as she imagined what Oliver had felt at that moment.  “He was already too involved.  He already knew what he wanted, but I’d made him believe that I only wanted an affair, and he knew that telling me Isabel was pregnant would destroy the delicate balance we were living in.  So when I asked about her again, he must have just…panicked.”

Felicity froze, her eyes filling with moisture as she considered something she never had before. “Oh God, I was so caught up in my own fears, in my worries about having my heart trampled on again, that I never realized Oliver was scared, too.”

Brushing at the tears running down her cheeks, Felicity thought about how Oliver’s life had been up until that point:  how cold and sterile his parents were; how he’d never really known what it was like to be loved and cared for on a deep, emotional level; how he’d chosen to stay with a woman who gave him no warmth, and then wandered through life collecting blankets in an effort to find some, somewhere; how he’d spent all his time proving his strength through stone and marble, because it was all he knew and it was the only thing that gave him purpose; and how Isabel had taken the last little bit of his human connection away from him when she’d separated him from his brother and sister for all those years.

“Oliver was terrified,” Felicity whispered, her voice trembling as much as her body. “Terrified of losing what we’d found in each other, of losing what he’d found in me.  He told me, that night on the couch, that I was the only person who’d ever looked at him like he could do no wrong.  And he also told me that he didn’t deserve it, because he wasn’t perfect.  I didn’t know why he said that at the time, but I see now.  Oliver was too scared to tell me the truth about Isabel, too scared to lose me, and because he wouldn’t tell me, I was too scared to let him any further into my heart.”

Felicity laughed then, laughing through her tears.  “But, of course, I _did_ let him further into my heart, because there was no way for me to stop it.  Oliver is my soul mate.  I know that.  I think I’ve always known it. I just never imagined there would come a day when Oliver knew it, too.  But I think he does, or, at least, he _could_ , if he can find it in his heart to forgive me for running away when I should have stayed and fought for us.”

Felicity took a deep breath in, straightening on the bed and pushing her hair back behind her shoulders. “I still don’t know how we’re going to handle this situation with Isabel,” she admitted to herself, “but I do know that, as long as we’re together, we can do anything.”

Right at this moment, the smile that worked its way onto her face, and the peace that wound its arms around her heart, were unlike anything Felicity had ever known. Her entire body relaxed, and she could practically feel Oliver’s warmth against her skin.

When her phone rang on the bed beside her, Felicity startled at the noise and then laughed again. She reached for it immediately, desperate to have some human contact.

She glanced at the onscreen photo and then pressed the phone to her ear.  “Laurel? Is that you?”

“Hey, Felicity! You are alive.”

“Yes, I’m here. Man, it’s good to hear your voice.”

“Yours, too. I called a few days ago, but you didn’t answer.”

“I’m sorry about that; I wasn’t really up to talking then.  I’m also really sorry I didn’t get to see you at the Country Club last Saturday.”

Laurel sighed. “I really wanted to be there, believe me.  I wish I’d felt better. Tommy was going to stay home with me, but I told him he had to go.  I knew how important it was to the business and I just didn’t feel up to it.”

“Why? Are you sick?”

She laughed. “No, I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, Laurel! I’m so happy for you!” Felicity squealed, grinning wildly for the first time since Isabel verbally gut-punched her on Saturday.

“Thanks. Tommy and I are thrilled. I just found out recently. It’s way early, but those pregnancy tests work so fast these days.  And, not that you really want to know this, but morning sickness blows, Felicity. I hug my toilet bowl so much, we’ve developed a relationship.”

“Wow. That’s disgusting and cool at the same time.  You have to call me constantly; I want to know everything.”

“I will, I promise. So, where will I be able to reach you? At Oliver’s, maybe?”

Felicity stilled, and then exhaled. “How much do you know about us?”

“I know you left him at the gala, and went home alone, and now you’re gone.  So I’m thinking something pretty bad happened.”

“I…I can’t really say anything about it just yet.  I’m sorry.”

“Did Oliver hurt you?”

“No! He would never hurt me. He’s a wonderful person; he truly is. I left because of me, because I just needed a little time to come to terms with…some things.”

Laurel sighed. “Alright, well, I’m not gonna bug you to talk, but there are a few things happening on this end that I think you should know.”

“Yeah?  Like what?”

“Like Oliver’s changed, Felicity. He’s completely different now. He’s left his office door open all week, and yesterday he walked around to people’s desks to ask how they’re doing. You should have seen him talking to Diggle; they just had this instant connection, like they were long-lost brothers. I didn’t even know Oliver knew how to have a conversation, and there he was, making people smile and laugh. And he and Janice have been getting along famously.  It’s so weird; it’s like she’s his long-lost mother, or something.  Oliver had come into the office on Monday morning all sullen and mopey – looking like something the cat dragged in – and Janice just attached to him like a magnet and started fussing all over him.  I really expected him to pull away from her, but he didn’t; he just went along with it. Now she gives him advice all the time and he listens to her.  I swear I’m just waiting for the moment when she licks her thumb and uses it to wipe something off of his face.  I think he’d let her do it.  It’s kind of creepy, really.”

Felicity laughed out loud with that image.

“And then on top of that, Felicity, there’s the gifts.”

“Gifts?”

“He gave everyone at the office a bonus – a share of profit for the success of the business. And he had Janice send out a memo saying everyone would get birthday and holiday bonuses, too.  And that’s not even the most amazing thing. You won’t believe this, but he actually apologized to me.”

“He did?”

“Yeah. He said he was sorry if he ever made me uncomfortable or did anything to question his respect for me, or for you. He said you and I have always been the backbone of the office and he never wanted me to forget that. And I just stared at him, with my mouth hanging open, while he smiled at me.  I swear, I don’t know what you did to him, but he really has changed. He’s become…human.”

Felicity shook her head when she heard Laurel’s words, because she knew that, despite what her friend thought, Oliver actually hadn’t changed at all.  He was just finally showing people the real him. He was finally letting them inside, so they could see what was always there – the mushy marshmallow beneath the crusty shell.  And Felicity smiled so wildly with that thought, and just ached to throw her arms around Oliver right this minute.   

“So, I’ve got to admit that I actually _like_ him now,” Laurel continued.  “And I never thought, in a million years, that I would be doing this, but I’m going to plead his case. I can see he’s nuts about you, Felicity. So I just want to ask one thing: how do you feel about him?”

Felicity’s fingers trembled against the phone.  “Oh, Laurel, I love him like crazy.”

“Well, thank God. Because I want double dates with all of us! This baby growing inside me is making me insanely hormonal and, if I don’t get double dates, I may throw an honest-to-goodness hissy fit.”

Felicity smiled. “I want double dates, too. Laurel. And I promise you, I will do everything I can to make them happen.”

“Perfect, doll. Now come home soon.”

“I will. And we’ll talk more, I promise.”

“Okay. I love you, you know.”

“I do know, and I love you, too.  Thanks, Laurel. For everything.”

“Anytime. Bye, Felicity.”

“Bye.”

Felicity turned off the phone and flopped back onto the bed.  The diamond on her necklace fell into the hollow of her throat and she reached for it, holding it between her fingertips.  She remembered the moment when Oliver gave her the sparkly gem, and remembered lying in bed with him a few hours later, spent and giddy after fulfilling their Wild West fantasy.  Oliver told her that night that the crush she’d had on him started because she felt alone and homeless and her heart needed someone to take care of. And she knew he’d been right about that; she’d been searching for a home for years…probably since the day her father left. 

Felicity also remembered, during that same night, watching Oliver rip through his closet, trying to find his elusive cowboy hat.  And she’d told him she didn’t need the hat, because she already had her fantasy. Felicity realized now that those words were absolutely true, except that her fantasy wasn’t a fantasy at all. What she wanted, what she truly desired, was a home.  A home with Oliver. Not a fantasy home where everything was perfect – because Oliver wasn’t perfect and, dear Lord, she knew she certainly wasn’t perfect – but a real home, with two people who tried to love each other the best way they could.

God, she wanted to run to him right now.  She wanted to apologize to him and talk to him and hold him and love him…but she was so far away, and she was so tired, just so damn tired.  Felicity allowed her eyes to close for just a moment, and the exhaustion of her body took over and she fell asleep almost instantly.

 ...

Felicity woke up at three a.m. Saturday morning with her stomach roiling again.  Pressing her lips together, she shot out of the hotel bed and into the bathroom, having just enough time to kneel and raise the toilet lid before heaving. When she swore her toes had come into her throat, and there could be nothing left for her to expel, she collapsed back against the side of the bathtub and groaned.  She hadn’t eaten much and couldn’t understand what would cause this. Then Laurel’s words bombarded her mind, bringing a flood of understanding with them. 

_Morning sickness blows, Felicity_. 

All the air left her lungs. “Oh, frack,” she croaked.

 ...

Felicity made it to the Pooch Palace later that morning without smashing into any other cars. No small miracle, considering how many times she’d caught herself staring at the pharmacy bag in her front seat – the one that carried a three-pack of pregnancy tests.  Stepping out of her Bug, she grabbed the bag and sprinted inside the building and into her office.  She opened her desk drawer and threw everything inside.  She couldn’t go through with that whole pee-on-a-stick thing. Not just yet.  She had a business to run.

Within moments, customers flooded the house, surrounding her with dogs.  Felicity did her best to concentrate, working with determination all morning. But she didn’t work up the nerve to pee on the first stick until after lunch.  She followed the directions on the box to the letter. When she finally looked down at the little window after the specified amount of time had passed, the pink sign had gone from a “minus” to a “plus”. 

“Well, that could be a mistake,” she considered, understanding that it was necessary to be very sure about things before freaking out.

She set the stick on her desk and took the dogs out to the gym.  Two hours later, she forced herself to pee on the second stick. It did the same thing as the first one.

“Hmm,” she said, setting the sticks side-by-side.  “It is possible that they could both be wrong.”  She put on a smiley face and tended to her customers until the end of the day, when all the pooches were gone, except Tug.  Sweet little Ms. Travers had asked Felicity to keep Tug a few minutes extra, because she was going out to an early dinner with Mr. Wilks, so Felicity had some time to herself. 

Leading Tug into her office, she patted the Great Dane on the head and told him to _stay_ , because honestly, she knew she would need his support.  Then she went in the bathroom with stick number three. When she returned, she didn’t look at the test. She sat down in her chair and set it on the desk beside the other two.  She stared at Tug and he stared back.  After several moments, Felicity took a deep breath.  “Third time’s a charm,” she assured the pup before turning to glance at the little window. 

A pink plus sign.

Felicity threw her arms up and started yelling.  “Well doesn’t that just figure!  He’s good at everything he does! I should have known he would be ultra-virile too!”

Tug barked.

She pushed her hair out of her face and looked down at him.  “Sorry, boy.  I didn’t mean to scare you, it’s just…he’s got two women pregnant at the same time! And I’m one of them!”

His big, soulful brown eyes stared into her.  

“What am I going to do now, Tug?”

He woofed.

“You’re right. I should call Cate.”

She picked up her cell and dialed the number.

Caitlin sounded chipper. “Hey Felicity, how are you?”

“Fertile.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m knocked up. Got a bun in the oven. Totally, utterly pregnant.”

No answer came from the other end.

“Cate? You there?”

“Oh…my…great…googly-moogly.”

“I don’t think those are real words.”

“Felicity! You’re _pregnant_? Holy crap!”

“How did this even happen, Cate? I thought he and I were careful! Well…we were kinda careful. Sort of.  Sometimes.”  She pinched her eyelids shut and cringed.  “Oh my Lord, we were almost never careful!  We were terrible!  Like, really, _really_ , just terrible!”

“If it helps, I don’t think it would have mattered if he wore condoms of steel. As much as you guys went at it, they were bound to fail sometime.  It’s the law of averages.”

“Yeah, but now he has _two_ baby mamas.”

“Try not to think of it that way.”

“Oh hell, when did my life become a Jerry Springer episode?”

Cate laughed. “I’d say about the same time you decided to exact revenge on your boss.”

Felicity shook her head, trying to concentrate on her breathing.  _Inhale.  Exhale.  Oliver’s baby needs oxygen.  You’re going to be a mom._

“Um, Felicity, you and I are best friends, right?”

“We’re family, Cate. I honestly don’t think I’d make it through life without you.”

“Then can I ask you a ridiculously personal question?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“When did you have your last period?”

Felicity’s brow furrowed and she shook her head.  “Why? Are you thinking I should have realized this sooner?”

“No, no…I’m just curious.”

“Well, I remember it started a few days before I gave Oliver my resignation, and then finished sometime during that whole revenge-week, and then I had so much on my mind and I just didn’t think about it anymore, and I didn’t even realize I was late, I mean, sometimes I’m a little late and it doesn’t mean anything and…” Felicity’s words trailed off as she listened to her friend’s muffled giggles across the phone. “Caitlin Snow…are you seriously laughing at me right now?”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Felicity; it’s just that I was watching one of those baby shows the other day and they were talking about how they decide on a woman’s due date and how they start counting the pregnancy from the first day of her last period, even though conception is later…” Caitlin’s voice trailed off as she continued giggling.

“Cate, I’m dying here, please get to the point.”

“The point, my dear friend, is that the day you started your revenge plan against Oliver, you were technically already pregnant with his baby.”

Felicity’s mouth fell open. “Well…well…that doesn’t sound right at all.”

“I know, right? But you’ve got to admit it’s a little funny.”

“Cate!”

“Sorry. Sorry.  I’m not going to laugh anymore, I swear.  I’m just…I’m a little overwhelmed here.”

“ _You’re_ overwhelmed?”

“Oh, honey, I don’t know what to say.  I wish I could give you a hug right now, because I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Are you okay?”

Felicity’s hand drifted down to her belly and she stilled for a moment.  She felt her heart pounding inside her chest and became instantly amazed by the thought of a new little heartbeat pulsing inside her, for a new little life. “You know what? I am okay.  I know this pregnancy is probably way too much, way too soon. I know it probably never should have happened.  And I know it adds a whole new level of complicated, but…”

“But what?”

Felicity leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.  A soft smile found its way to her lips.  “But I already love this baby.  I love this baby so much.”

“Are you going to tell the father?”

“I can just see our little boy now, Cate.  He’ll be charming and adorable, with dark blond hair and bright blue eyes, just like his dad.” Felicity sighed, her shoulders dropping. “But I bet Isabel’s baby will be gorgeous, too.  She’s got that whole leggy model thing going on…”

“Felicity, I don’t care if Isabel’s baby comes out wearing a tiara and your baby looks like Shrek. Oliver needs to know you’re pregnant. And he damn well needs to hear from your own lips how much you love him.”

Felicity smiled into the phone.  “I know, Cate, and don’t worry; I’m going to tell him everything.  You know, I had a lot of time to think while I was gone on that little vacation you sent me on.”

“Yeah? Aside from the whole finding-out-you’re-pregnant thing, how did your week of thinking go?”

“Really, really well. That was some serious voodoo reverse psychology you pulled, telling me to run away.”

Cate chuckled. “Well, unfortunately, sometimes you have to actually do a thing in order to realize that it’s the wrong thing to do.”

She shook her head. “You’re amazing, Cate. You should have been a doctor, seriously.”

“I don’t know about that, but I’d love to hear what you realized while you were gone.”

“I just…I finally realized all the mistakes I’d made these past weeks, and especially the night of the party. Oliver is my home, and I shouldn’t have run away from him. Instead of staying and talking, instead of sticking around and trying to work on our problems, I just took off at the first sign of trouble.”  Felicity paused to take a deep breath, her eyes filling with moisture. “I shouldn’t have done that, Cate. I shouldn’t have done it, and I don’t know if Oliver will be able to forgive me.”

“Felicity, he loves you.”

She huffed out a laugh. “I think he does, but he’s never actually said it.”

“Oh, dear Lord, have you even looked at the man?  Because there’s no way on earth that anyone could look at him and _not_ know.  He may as well be wearing a sign around his neck that says, ‘My name is Oliver Queen, and I am head-over-heels in love with Felicity Smoak.’”

Felicity grinned as a tear wandered down her cheek.  “Then do you think he can forgive me for running away?”

“You know, honey, the last time I checked, love was as much about forgiveness as anything.”

Felicity closed her eyes, allowing another few tears to fall.  “Thank you,” she whispered.  “Thank you for standing by me through all of this.”

“I’ll stand by you through everything, always.”

“Even the mess that is going to be Oliver, Isabel, me, and two babies?” 

“Absolutely. People do this stuff nowadays. Families are messy. There’s yours and mine and ours, and Oliver will love both the kids.  But he’ll only love one woman.   _You_.” 

Felicity nodded. “You know, when I heard Isabel tell me that she was pregnant with Oliver’s baby, it was worse than my worst nightmare.”

“I know it was.”

“But now that I’ve thought about it, Cate, I think I can finally accept the fact that Oliver will always have some feelings for Isabel.  They were together for so long, and they’re going to have a child between them, and it’s unrealistic of me to expect him to not feel anything. But I don’t think that means he’s going to go back to her, and I don’t think those feelings he has for her will be anything like what he feels for me, or what I feel or him. So, knowing that, I really believe I can let those fears go now, and put my doubts to rest, and concentrate on the future.  If Oliver loves me even half as much as I love him…”

“He loves you maniacally, Felicity.”

“…then this is all going to be okay.”

Cate sighed across the phone. “Oh, thank goodness. I love it when you see reason. And it only took you a week.”

“Thanks for making me run, Cate.”

“No problem. Now will you please just run _toward_ Oliver, instead of away from him?”

“Yes, I will. I’m going to go find him now.”

“Do that. Please, please do that.”

Felicity laughed. “I love you, kiddo.”

“Love you to, honey.”

“Thank you, Cate. Really, thank you for everything.”

“Yes, that’s nice. Now stop talking to me and go! Go find him!”

“Alright, alright…don’t you know it’s bad luck to yell at a pregnant lady?”

“You totally just made that up.”

“Yes, I did. I’m going.”

“Good luck, honey. You know I’m rooting for you.”

“I do. Bye, Cate.”

“Bye.”

Felicity turned off the phone and stood, watching as Tug’s big brown eyes followed her every move. “Come on, sweet boy,” she said, grabbing hold of the Great Dane’s leash and starting for the door.

She made it into the front room just as bell above the door rang.  Ms. Travers walked in, grinning as she looked around.  “Oh, hello Felicity.  Hope I’m not too late.”

“No, it’s no problem,” Felicity assured the lovely woman.  “I actually really enjoyed having Tug’s company.”

Ms. Travers kept smiling wildly, her fragile little body just quivering.

Felicity tilted her head, staring at the blue-and-silver-haired beauty.  “What are you so happy about, Ms. Travers?”

“Oh, Felicity dear, Mr. Wilks asked me to marry him!”

“Oh my gosh, that’s fantastic! Good for you – good for both of you!”

“Thank you, darling. I’m thrilled!”

“Wow…and to think you met here,” Felicity considered, smiling so hard that it hurt. “How wonderful.”

“It is wonderful. Love is still so wonderful, even after all these years.”  Ms. Travers reached out to pat her on the arm.  “And what about that nice Oliver?  Is he with you?”

Felicity’s hand moved to her stomach.  She glanced down at her flat belly, thinking about how it would look in a few months. And a realization struck her: Oliver would always be with her, from here on out.

The older woman stared down at Felicity’s fingers.  “Ah, I see. I have three myself.”

Felicity glanced up. “Three?”

“Three children, all boys. They look just like their father. If you’d told me when my dear Harold passed away that I would ever get married again, I would have said you were crazy. But you know, life doesn’t always take you where you think it will.”

Felicity focused in on Ms. Travers’ kind blue eyes and shook her head.  “No, it doesn’t.”

“But I can assure you of one thing:  there are no mistakes, Felicity. It all happens for a reason.” Ms. Travers took Tug’s leash and smiled. “You take care of yourself and that baby.”

She nodded. “I will.”

The godmotherly sprite winked at her as she exited through the front door.

Felicity ran back to her office, grabbed her car keys, and headed out to find Oliver.

... 

**A/N:** So, I’m sorry about all the pregnancies. In real life, I am a labor and delivery nurse, so apparently I just see pregnant women everywhere (it’s kind of like that kid from _The Sixth Sense,_ only different).  I will promise you that Cate is not pregnant…yet.  :)Tina

Up next…Chapter 19:  Employee of the Month


	19. Employee of the Month

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lovelies!! Oh my gosh, only two chapters left! I hope you'll enjoy this :)

Felicity didn’t get far in her quest for Oliver. As she locked the front door of the Palace, she heard a car pull up to the curb behind her.  Dropping the keys in the pocket of her jeans, Felicity turned to see Oliver’s Mercedes ease to a stop behind her Bug. 

Her feet continued to move down the stairs, but her heart stilled as Oliver exited the driver’s side and looked up to her.  Felicity nearly fell over when he did.  She hadn’t seen him in a week – it was probably the longest she’d gone without him in six years – and her entire body reacted to the sight.  She didn’t understand how he could be even more attractive to her now, but he was.  Even while wearing a rather bizarre outfit.

Oliver’s bright blue eyes locked onto hers as he stepped around the hood of the car, his long strides moving him quickly up the sidewalk.  When Felicity reached the bottom step, Oliver stopped walking. Only a few feet of space remained between them, and her heart resumed a sudden, pounding pace. Felicity bit into her lip as they stood and stared at each other.

“Hey,” she said.

“Hey,” Oliver echoed.

With the sound of his voice, Felicity exhaled in a rush.  “You came.”

“Of course I came,” he answered, his head tilting.  “Where are you headed?”

“I was just heading out to find you.”

Oliver huffed out a breath and grinned.  “Oh.” He stepped another inch closer, his thumb and forefinger rubbing together as he watched her.  “I would have come sooner, but I wanted to wait until everyone else was gone, because I know this is the time of day you normally clean up.”

“Clean up?” she questioned, her gaze shifting to his unusual clothing ensemble.

“Do you like the outfit?” he asked, spreading his arms wide. 

Felicity perused his _Oliver_ -embroidered bowling shirt, jeans, and rubber boots, as well as the thick rubber gloves in his hands. “It’s certainly interesting…but I’m not really sure why you have it on.”

“Well, obviously, this is my favorite shirt.”

She couldn’t help smiling. “I think that might be stretching the truth a bit.”

“No, really. You gave it to me, so I love it. I’ve worn it a few times this week, actually. And as for the rubber boots and gloves, I thought they’d be helpful for cleaning up dog patties.”

“Why would you clean up dog patties?”

He took a step closer. “Because I don’t want a life without you, Felicity, and if shoveling dog poop is the only way I get to spend time with you, then that’s what I’ll do.”

Felicity shook her head, tears welling in her eyes.  “God, no, Oliver. You don’t owe me anything. I’m the one who owes you. I owe you honesty, and I owe you apologies, and I – I have so many things I want to tell you.”

“What do you want to tell me?”

She took a deep breath as she looked into him.  “Well, first, I want to tell you that I understand about Isabel.”

Oliver’s brow furrowed. “What about her?”

“I just…I understand that you will always have some feelings between you, and…”

“ _Seriously_?” he barked, his hands clenching. “You _still_ think I have feelings for Isabel?  Even after everything I said to you that night at the gala? What the hell do I have to do to convince you that I don’t want her?”

Felicity shook her head again. “No, that’s not what I meant; I’m not saying this well.  What I want you to know is that I understand your connection, and the feelings you must still have for her…”

Oliver threw his arms up in the air.  “ _No, I don’t!_   I don’t have feelings for her!  Good Lord, you make me crazy sometimes, Felicity!  If I didn’t love you so damn much, I swear I would just… _Graaah_!”

Felicity’s knees wobbled. She collapsed onto the step behind her, sitting and looking up into his wild, vibrant eyes. “You love me?”

His hands unclenched, his shoulders falling on a deep exhale.  “ _Yes_.  God, yes.  So much that I’m crazy with it.  I barely eat; I hardly sleep. I just think about you. I just need you. So damn much.”

She sniffled as she smiled up at him.  “It’s just…you never said it.”

“Didn’t I?” He stared down at her, his deep blue fixed on her light.  “I actually thought I did.”  Taking a step forward, he turned to sit with her.  Easing down onto the same stair she’d collapsed on, Oliver set his gloves beside him and then folded his hands in his lap.  He took a breath and released it slowly, his arm brushing against hers as he settled in.

He turned his head to look at her, his face just inches from hers as he met her eyes again. “I’ll say it now. I’m in love with you, Felicity. I’ve been in love with you for years.”

“ _Years?_ ”

“At least two. Probably six.  I don’t know for sure.  I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to the organ in my chest that pumps blood around.  But I can fix it; I’ll do anything you want to fix it.  Just please don’t make me go back to that house alone again. I haven’t been able to sleep in the bed since you left.  And the couch is not comfortable at all, no matter how many blankets I put on it.”

She swallowed hard. “You missed me that much?”

Oliver reached out to touch her face, his warm fingers sending a current of energy through her skin as he curled a loose hair behind her ear.  “Yesterday I realized I couldn’t smell you in the house anymore, so I took your shampoo bottle into the living room and opened it and left it on the coffee table like a damn air freshener.”  His hand fell back onto his thigh.  “If you don’t come home, I might actually lose my mind.  Or start shampooing with wildflowers.  I’m not sure which.”

Felicity blinked against the tears in her eyes.  “I’m so sorry I was gone.  I’m so sorry I left. I never should have done that. I went to Central City to clear my head, and I did, and once I did, I realized that I never should have left in the first place.  I’m so, so sorry I ran, Oliver.”

He gave her a soft smile. “If you needed that time in order to find your way back, then I’m glad you had it.  It’s just, when you were there, it made me realize how much I need you here.  You know, in all those years I was with Isabel, it was really like being alone.  And I always thought that I was doing fine by myself, and that I didn’t need anyone else.  But now, I can see that I was never really alone, because you were right there with me. You are so much a part of everything I do, Felicity, and you have been since the day you first walked into my life.”

His words swelled her heart and Felicity swiped at the wetness on her cheek.  “Well, you know, it’s a little late now, but maybe you could make me retroactive Employee of the Month.”

Oliver glanced into her eyes and chuckled.  “Especially for that last month, right?  I mean, you were pretty phenomenal the whole six years, but that last month really deserves some special recognition.  Maybe an award or something.”

She smiled with her whole body as she looked into him.  “I’ll take it.”

Oliver reached out to touch her hand where it rested against her leg.  He drew his fingers across hers, watching the movement intently. “Well, as much as I would like to give you that award, Felicity, I actually can’t,” he said, looking back to her eyes.  “Because you were never my employee.  You have always been my partner.”

The words filled her ears and her mind, and her body and soul, and all she could do was nod. “Thank you, Oliver. Thank you for saying that. And, even more, for telling me you love me.  I really love hearing you say those words.”

He curled his fingers into hers, entwining them together.  “Then I will say them constantly.  I love you, Felicity. I love you, I love you, I love you. Now please just tell me how to reassure you that I want nothing to do with my ex.”

Her lips parted as her hand trembled inside his.  “Oliver, I…I know about Isabel.”

“What about her?”

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to maintain his gaze.  “She told me.  She told me she’s pregnant.”

A flicker of pain moved through his deep blue eyes, raw and aching.  His entire body tensed, the muscle in his jaw twitching hard. And then he looked down to his feet and exhaled.  “Let me guess…she told you that at the party?”

“Yes.”

Oliver raised his head to stare out into the street.  “Well, that explains why you haven’t talked to me since.”  He sat quietly for a long moment, his fingers moving, slow and steady, against hers.  After several minutes, he turned back to her.  “But, wait…she told you at the party that she’s pregnant, and you still came back to me?”

Felicity nodded. “I should never have ever left in the first place, Oliver, I should have stayed and…”

“But Felicity, Isabel is…”

“No, wait, please,” she begged, pivoting on the step so that she could really see him.  “Please let me finish, Oliver.  I need to apologize to you.  I’m so sorry I ran away.  That night was so perfect between us, and it was everything I ever wanted, and when Isabel told me that, it was like a bomb exploded and I…” her voice left her as she gasped in air, fighting to get her words out, “I completely panicked, and that is totally my fault, and I’m so sorry I didn’t come to you to talk, but it felt like the walls were caving in on me and I was being crushed and I couldn’t breathe and I just…”

“Hey, hey,” he stopped her, reaching his free hand up to her cup her face, brushing his thumb across her wet cheek.  “It’s okay; I’m here. You’re safe.  I’m here.”

She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of his skin against hers.  Then she looked back to him through watery eyes. “I want to be with you, Oliver. I’ve always wanted to be with you. And I should have stayed; I should have stayed and fought for us.  But I want you to know that I’m here now, if you’ll still have me, and I want to work this out; I want you and I to work on this together.  I know it’s going to be complicated, but real life usually is and – as much as I want sunshine and rainbows and running hand-in-hand together through fields of wildflowers – what I really want is _us_ , working together to figure everything out.” Felicity paused to take a breath, watching him as he focused on her.  “And, you know, you told me once that I have a huge heart, and that I need someone to take care of.”

He smiled. “You have the biggest heart ever, Felicity.”

“Well then, I don’t see any reason why I can’t love Isabel’s baby…because it’ll be your baby, Oliver.”

He stared into her, just stared for the longest time, and Felicity could see him fighting to hold back the tears in his eyes.  Then he moved his hand from her face to the back of her hair, pulling her closer to him as he touched his forehead to hers.  She took in a shaky breath, letting her eyelids fall as she reached up to hold onto his arm, keeping him as close as possible.

“Have I told you in the last five seconds how much I love you, Felicity?”

She chuckled softly. “Not in the last five seconds, no.”

“Hmm…then I’m falling down on my job.”  He eased up to place a kiss on her forehead.  “I think we can still find some fields of wildflowers to run through,” he promised. “But first, I need to tell you what happened between me and Isabel.”

Felicity raised her head, heart thumping in her chest as she looked into him. “If you would share that with me, I would really appreciate it.” 

He nodded, straightening a bit as he took one of her hands into both of his.  Staring down at the sight of their intertwined fingers, he took a deep breath in.  “Alright, here goes. I screwed up with Isabel. I screwed up really, really badly.”

Felicity focused in on him, watching his jaw clench.  “How did you screw up?”

“Oh, in so many ways…one of which was staying with her for so long as I did.  I’d known for years that we didn’t belong together. Hell, I probably knew as soon as I started dating her, but I didn’t do anything about it.  I guess I thought we would eventually work out; on paper we seemed like a good fit, and she certainly didn’t put any demands on me emotionally, since she’s a bit of an ice princess.”

Felicity huffed out a laugh. “Isabel?  An ice princess?  _No_.”

Oliver chuckled. “Yeah, well, I didn’t do anything to change that.  You were absolutely right, love coach; I didn’t sparkle for her.  I didn’t try.  I put school first, and then I put business first.  Through the years, she grew to resent everything I did.  But, even after she would throw a fit and scream at me and storm off, she always came back.  I don’t know why. Maybe she didn’t want to admit we’d failed; maybe she thought I would change.  All I know is that I really started pulling away two years ago, and she knew I had one foot out the door, and that she would have to do something big to keep me. So she did.”

“What did she do?”

“She brought me the Starling Country Club project.” 

“Oh.”

Oliver hung his head, his fingers working across hers.  “Yeah, I know.  I shouldn’t have taken it.  I should have said no. But it was good for business, so I took the job and I stayed with her.  She was happy at first.  But then, after a while, she could tell I wasn’t there for the right reasons. The closer I got to finishing work on the conference center, the angrier she became.  We fought like crazy, and I barely ever touched her. When I’d finally had enough of her ranting and raving at me, when I finally said I was leaving for good, that’s when she told me she was pregnant.” 

He paused for a moment, raking a hand through his hair.  “I’m sure she thought I would stay.  I’m sure she thought I would ask her to marry me. We’d been together so long, after all. And the pregnancy changed things, of course.  I wracked my brain with every possibility.  I knew I would take care of the baby, but no matter how I envisioned the future, the prospect of marrying her wasn’t appealing at all.  I couldn’t make myself want that.”

Felicity reached out to him, smoothing her free hand across his thigh.

Oliver closed his eyes briefly before he started talking again.  “I needed someone to talk to, so I called Barry.  As you know, my brother doesn’t like Isabel. He didn’t even believe she was pregnant at first; he made me get evidence.  I can tell you she wasn’t very happy when I insisted on seeing ultrasound photos.”

Felicity cringed. “Yikes.  I’ll bet that went over real well.”

“I’m lucky to still be alive, actually.  But she produced them, and I showed Barry.  He still wasn’t satisfied.  He hired a private investigator, I think to make sure she hadn’t forged the photos, but then we found out something else.  She was cheating on me.”

Felicity’s jaw unhinged. “ _No way_! She was cheating on you? On _you_?”

“Yes. Remember Carter from the gala?”

“Yes.”

“That’s who she was with.”

“Ew,” Felicity said, her nose wrinkling.  “Why would she want him when she could have you?”

“Well, she couldn’t have me. I was done with her; she knew that. She was just trying to hold onto me, for whatever screwed-up reason.”  Oliver looked into Felicity, holding her with his eyes. “I need you to know something – as much as I’m sure you don’t want to hear about me and her together – I need you to know that I was always very careful to use protection with her. I mean, I never slipped up, not once in all those years.  There was never a time when I decided not to use a condom, or forgot in the heat of the moment. That never happened and, honestly, the baby probably wasn’t mine, anyway.”

She shook her head, not quite able to wrap her mind around everything.  “Wow. So…when?  When will you know if the baby is yours or Carter’s?”

“I won’t,” he said, his voice trembling along with his body.  “She miscarried.”

Felicity stopped breathing, her fingers curling hard inside his.  “Oh. _Oh, my gosh_.  I’m so, so sorry, Oliver. I honestly can’t imagine anything worse. That must have been horrible for you.”

He grimaced, his clenched jaw working furiously as he gripped her hand.  “You know, she didn’t even tell me when it happened. She just kept pretending to be pregnant, still demanding to get married.  But I’d had enough.  I told her I would be the best father I could be, if the baby turned out to be mine, but I wouldn’t marry someone I didn’t love.  That’s when she told me she’d lost the pregnancy, that she’d actually lost it weeks earlier. And she told me with such cruelty in her eyes, like she was thrilled to get one last punch in.”

Oliver shook his head. “At least, I _thought_ that was her last punch.  Apparently, she left the knockout for later, when she told _you_ she was pregnant. For that, I got to spend one more week of sheer misery at her expense.”

Felicity sat, still and stunned, holding tight to his hand.  “I…I don’t even know what to say.  Oliver, that is _awful_.  I’m sorry…I’m so sorry.  When did this happen?”

“Right before Tommy and Laurel’s wedding.” 

“My Lord, you must have been hurting so badly.”  

“It certainly wasn’t fun, listening to them exchange their vows, and promise to love and cherish each other forever, when the woman I’d stayed with for over a decade wanted to stab me in the gut with a sword and kick me off the side of a mountain. When Tommy came back from his honeymoon, I was happy for him, but I envied him.  I’d wasted a ridiculous amount of time on this cruel person and I just wanted to be with someone I could really love.”

Oliver stopped talking for a moment, looking down to her hand in his.  “That Monday, when Tommy and Laurel returned, I was sitting at my desk, looking out of the window, wanting so badly to run out of the building and into the park.  And then Tommy came into my office, and he suggested I date you, and I just…I knew that he was right. Almost immediately. At first just in my mind, but then in my heart, too.”  He raised his eyes back to hers.  “Because you brought such color to my life, from the first moment you came into it. And I know it took me way too long to realize what you’ve always meant to me, but I do now, and I love you Felicity, more than I have ever loved anything, or anyone, in my entire life.”

She sat, stunned. A tear slid down her cheek, and Oliver reached out to brush it away.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he whispered as he looked into her. “I’m sorry I never told you about all of this before, but I just…I grew up believing I wasn’t supposed to talk about feelings.  Life was supposed to be about work and success, and Isabel was a failure.  I failed at her, in every possible way.”

Felicity shook her head. “No.  I think she failed you.”

“Maybe. Probably a little of both.” He sighed. “All I know for sure is that you are the only person who’s ever looked at me like I could do no wrong, and I didn’t want to screw that up, too.  I wanted to protect you from the person I’d been before, and the horrible decisions I’d made. I just thought you had enough to deal with – with me being a grouch and a robot and having ignored you for six goddamn idiotic years – and I thought the only thing I had going for me was this concept you had in your head of my actions being beyond reproach. I didn’t want you to know how badly I’d failed at Isabel, because I didn’t want you to think I would ever do that to you.  Because I won’t, Felicity. I swear.  I would never do anything to hurt you.”

“I know that,” she said, reaching up to touch his face.  “You are just wonderful; everything about you is wonderful.  You’re the strongest person I know, and the most successful – and the smartest, and the kindest, and the most loving – and, of course, the most sparkly.”

He smiled into her eyes and Felicity’s hand dropped down to his arm, curling around and holding on. “You know, Oliver, all I ever wanted was to be in your heart.  It was the only place I’d wanted to be for so many, many years.  But, when you wouldn’t open up to me, I just figured that my heart was the only one at risk.  That’s why I said I only wanted an affair.”

His brow furrowed. “Seriously?”

She nodded. “I didn’t think I could compete with the feelings you had for Isabel.  And, as tense as you would get at the mention of her name, I knew you still had feelings.”

“They weren’t good feelings, Felicity. I told you so many times that I didn’t want her, and I just…I thought that would be enough.”

She pressed her lips together as she searched his eyes.  “Oliver, do you remember my ex, Cooper?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know why I broke up with him?”

“I was kind of hoping it was because you were fantasizing about riding me like a cowgirl, bare backed across a hot desert, and he just couldn’t hold a candle to that.”

She laughed, even as her gaze fell. “Yeah, well, there’s that, of course. And then there was the day that I left work early to come home and surprise him, because he’d told me the night before that he wanted to talk about our future, and then I walked in on him having sex with his ex-girlfriend in my bed.”

His hand tightened on hers. “Damn.”

“Yeah. Apparently, I like to fall for men who have long term, on-again, off-again exes.  It’s sort of my thing.”

He reached to her cheek, drawing her face back to his.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.  I’m sorry he treated you that way.”

“Well, looking back on it now, it doesn’t seem nearly as bad as what Isabel did to you. But I was devastated when it happened. The same thing had basically happened between my parents, and I’d lived through all that pain as a kid, and I guess I never really got over it.  But I still wanted to try to have a true, loving relationship, and when Cooper came along, I thought he might be The One, since he was the closest thing I’d ever found to...”

“Closest to what?”

Felicity smiled softly. “To you.”

Oliver stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head.  “Does Cooper still live around here?”

“Why?”

“Because I would like to break both his legs.”

She laughed. “I appreciate the protectiveness, Oliver, but I’m okay now.  I’m better than okay. You’ve shown me what it’s like to be with a person who truly loves me and wants the best for me and I – I still don’t know if I deserve that after how I treated you, but…”

“Felicity,” he said, cutting off her words as he reached his hand to her waist to pull her even closer. “I don’t want you to ever think that you don’t deserve love, because God knows I didn’t think I did, and I know what kind of pain that is.  But I don’t hurt anymore, because you changed it.  You changed everything for me.”

“I did?”

“Yes,” he said, his arm tightening against her back as his deep voice moved across her skin. “You know, I had a lot of time to think this past week, and I’ve thought so much about that first year you came to work with me.  If I’m being honest, that was really the last good year I can remember, because when you came into my life, you brought so much energy with you.  You had your ridiculously obvious crush on me, and you made all of your wonderful, accidental innuendos, and you just made me smile. Then, as if all that wasn’t enough, you went out of your way to bring Barry and Thea back to me, to bring me a sense of family and home and connection.  And I just…I adored you, Felicity. 

“And I realize now that things really started going downhill fast with Isabel during that year, and it’s probably because she knew I had feelings for you, since everyone else seems to know my emotional state better than I do.”  Oliver paused for a moment, reaching up to tuck a stray hair behind her ear.  “But I still thought of you as off-limits because we worked so well together, and with the business stress and the Isabel stress and, honestly, the belief that you were probably better off without me, I refused to acknowledge what I felt. So I watched as you moved on, and I watched as you started dating other people, and I watched as you stopped babbling around me, and it was like a light dimmed from my life – a light that I’d grown accustomed to.  After that, the next five years with Isabel were terrible.  It was like being trapped on a deserted island…like Isabel had marooned me there…or perhaps I’d done it to myself.  And there were so many times when I thought about getting away from it, and a few times I even tried to get away, but I always just ended up back there, because I think, deep down, that I didn’t believe my heart was worth saving.”

His words ended with a shaky breath and Felicity moved closer, curling into him as she laid her head on his shoulder.  She closed her eyes, and a tear fell down her cheek.  “I’m so glad you chose to get off that island, Oliver.”

He tightened his hold on her. “I’m glad you were there to show me that my heart was worth saving.”

Felicity relaxed into his arms, her body settling against his.  She listened to the calm breaths coming from his chest, letting his warmth and strength bring peace to her mind and her heart.  Oliver’s hand drifted slowly across her back, smoothing up and down her spine, and she sighed.

“Can you promise me something, Felicity?” he asked, his voice rumbling beneath her ear.

She raised her head to look at him. “What?”

Oliver smiled into her eyes. “Can you promise that you won’t ever run away from me again?”

“I promise,” she answered, returning his smile.  “And can you promise me something, too?”

“Anything.”

“Can you promise that you’ll always open up to me, and let me be in your heart?  Because, now that I’m here, I really don’t want to leave. Not ever.”

He nodded. “I promise,” he said, and then he exhaled, his entire body relaxing beneath hers.  “Oh, thank God, Felicity.  Everything is out in the open now, and everything works out.”

She stiffened. “Um, actually, Oliver,” she started, straightening herself as she looked into his eyes, “there’s something else we…”

“No, there’s nothing else,” he insisted.  “It will work out between us, Felicity. It has to.  I won’t accept any other outcome.” 

She wrapped his hand in both of hers and smiled.  “It will work out, Oliver.  Everything will work out. But I just need to ask you one more thing.”

Oliver watched her carefully. “Okay.”

“When, um, when you thought you were going to be a father, were you okay with that? I mean, it didn’t…it didn’t hurt you, did it?”

“Hurt me? Well, I didn’t want Isabel in my life, so that part was bad.  But, the father part?  I liked the thought of that. When she told me she’d miscarried, that did hurt.”  Oliver ran his hand down her shoulder, his brow furrowed.  “Why? Are you asking if I want kids?”

“Um, yes.”

“Of course, Felicity; if that’s what you want, too.  Is having children important to you?”

“It’s actually really, really important to me.” 

“Well, I know we haven’t had the chance to discuss it, but I would love to have kids one day. We can certainly think about it, maybe in a year or two?”

Felicity took a deep breath. “How about in…eight months or so?”

Oliver stopped breathing altogether. _“Eight_ months?” 

She bit into her lip and nodded slowly.

Realization hit him. He stared at her, stunned, for a solid minute.  And then his eyes lit up brighter than a Christmas tree.  “Felicity…are you…are you pregnant?”

Her voice shook. “Y-yes.  We’re going to have a baby, baby.”

In one swift motion, Oliver stood, pulled her into his arms, and spun her around.  Felicity grabbed onto his shoulders, squealing as his laughter rang in her ears.  “This is fantastic!” he yelled, hugging her so close to his chest that she could hardly get a breath in. “I’m thrilled! I’m _ecstatic_. I’ve never been happier.”

He eased his steel grip just enough to look into her eyes.  “Marry me, Felicity. Marry me today.”

She looked up at him, grinning wildly.  “No.”

“You mean no, you won’t marry me?”

“I mean no, I won’t marry you _today_.  I have so much to do!  I need to book a venue and a reception site and then there’s the flowers and food and music and I’ll have to fly my family in from Las Vegas – they haven’t even met you yet!  And I want everyone from the office to be there, and also Ms. Wilks and Mr. Travers – oh my gosh, I haven’t even had the chance to tell you that they got engaged today, too! And, of course, I want Caitlyn and Laurel to be by my side, and I know you’ll want Barry and Tommy to be by your side. And, seriously, I don’t care how big and pregnant I am, I _will_ wear white walking down the aisle.”

Oliver let her feet touch the ground again so he could reach both hands to her face. “Anything you say, sweet Felicity. As long as there’s a day, very soon, when I get to call you my wife.”

She looked up at him through watery eyes.  “I love you, Oliver. I love you with all of my heart and mind and body and soul and just…everything.”

Oliver leaned down, smiling against her lips.  “I know,” he said. And then he kissed her.

...

A/N:  Big hugs and kisses to everyone who has read along with me and commented and given kudos and follows and favs...it's all been so wonderful!  :)Tina  Up next...Chapter 20:  The IT Girl and the Hooded Vigilante


	20. The IT Girl and the Hooded Vigilante

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there wonderful folks! Wow...it's already the last chapter, and I don't really know what to say except thank you. Your support of this first-time fanfic writer has just been incredible, and I really can't express in words how much that has meant to me. So, here's the final installment, and I should probably warn you that this is the fluff, the whole fluff, and nothing but the fluff. Hope you enjoy :)

Oliver stood in the park across the street from Arrow Architecture.  The sun had fallen behind several huge oak trees, and now the strings of lights hanging from nearby branches lit his surroundings, casting a surreal glow around every person he could see.  But no one sparkled quite like his Felicity.

He could see her in the distance, her beaded dress catching the soft lighting.  They’d been making the rounds of their wedding reception together, talking with everyone and accepting well wishes, when Barry and Thea had latched onto Felicity and refused to let go.  Oliver understood that feeling, so he begrudgingly left her side to visit with other friends, like Tommy and Laurel, and Diggle and Lyla. Laurel and Lyla had spoken excitedly to him about the triple date night they wanted to have the moment Oliver and Felicity returned from their honeymoon, and he’d eagerly accepted before allowing them to return to their dancing.  And now he stood just to the side of everyone else, alone but far from lonely, watching his new bride across the sea of people.

Five months seemed like a long time to wait for this day – for the moment when he could look at this beautiful, brilliant, vivacious woman and call her his wife – but it was worth it. Felicity looked radiant and glowing and so incredibly happy, and it lit him up inside.  Besides, the waiting wasn’t actually too difficult, since she’d been living with him the entire time.  She’d moved back home the same night they’d gotten engaged on the steps of the Palace.

Oliver remembered how busy Felicity had been right after that, not just with planning the wedding, but also with work.  But then she and Caitlin were able to hire their first employee, and his sprite finally started to enjoy some free time.  Oliver would never forget the day Felicity realized that she was someone else’s boss, and how giddy she’d been, just bouncing up and down in front of him.  And Oliver had just grabbed her and kissed her, of course, because there was nothing else he could imagine doing. 

Since then, Felicity came to Arrow Architecture for lunch almost every day, spending a few minutes with Janice, Laurel, Lyla, and whoever else was around, before making her way into his office and closing the door firmly behind her.  He would look up at her from his chair and meet her sparkling eyes as she moved toward him, and his fingers would twitch with need to touch her. And he would.  He would savor her, savor every single moment with her, and still somehow find himself missing her the moment she sauntered out of his building to go back to her own.  He’d offered to put a lock on his door, just to make sure she kept coming back, but Felicity assured him it wasn’t necessary.  No one disturbed them during their conjugal visits – after all, it was the only time his office door was ever closed.  Felicity did, however, insist that he put a lock on his desk drawer ( _because anyone could open that thing at any time and – good Lord! – they would get an eyeful, Oliver_ ) and he’d obliged, because that photo was for his eyes only.

His wife’s laughter pulled him from his memories then, the lovely sound drifting toward him across the crowd, and Oliver watched Barry and Thea smile and laugh right along with her. He could see that his brother and sister were enthralled by every word out of her mouth, and he loved how their attachment to her had only grown thicker over five months of weekly family dinners. But then again, Oliver always knew Barry and Thea would be thrilled about his marriage.  What he hadn’t expected was the response from his parents.

Robert and Moira Queen stood by Felicity’s other side, smiling affectionately at their new daughter-in-law. Oliver watched in awe as Felicity turned toward them, her pink lips still moving a mile a minute, and reached out to take Moira’s hand in hers.  His mother touched Felicity’s bulging belly tentatively at first, before breaking into the most beautiful smile Oliver had ever seen on her face. Felicity kept talking as she held Moira’s hand on her stomach, and Oliver saw his mother giggle along with his wife. He had to clear his throat then, because it felt like something had permanently lodged there.

A moment later, a voice drifted into his ear.  “So, are you happy or what?”

Oliver turned his head to look at Caitlin, unaware of how long she’d been standing beside him. “I am on cloud nine, actually.”

Cate nodded. “Yeah, she is too. Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For giving her everything she ever wanted.”

Oliver glanced back to his bride. “It’s what I wanted, too.”

From across the sea of guests, Felicity looked up and caught his eye.  She grinned at him, impossibly toothy and yet ethereally beautiful, and it started that familiar squeezing sensation in his chest, the one he’d grown so accustomed to these past months.  He watched as his wife said a few parting words to his family, and gave them each a hug in turn, before she looked back to him and began advancing through the crowd.

Cate shifted beside him. “Oliver, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Cate.”

“Is, um, is your brother single?”

Oliver refocused on Felicity’s best friend.  “Yeah. Why?”

“Oh, no reason.” She shrugged and walked off.

He watched Cate leave before turning back to his sprite.  Felicity moved toward him, gliding past onlookers like an angel in her fitted white gown. The beaded fabric hugged her round tummy, showcasing her glowing, pregnant state.  “Hello, husband,” she purred when she arrived in front of him.

“Hello, sweet wife.” Oliver pulled her into him, as close as her belly allowed.  “You know, this wedding dress is gorgeous, but I must admit I thought you’d wear something a little less form-fitting.”

“Are you kidding me? I love this baby; I want to show him off.”

He reached down to touch her stomach.  “I love this baby, too. And I love _her_ mom.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I already told you it’s a boy, Oliver.”

“You don’t know that for sure; we didn’t find out the sex.  And I think it’s a girl.  She’s going to be beautiful, just like her mom.” 

“Thank you for that. But, just so you know, it’s a boy, because he already kicks the mess out of me.  He’s strong like his dad.”

“Well, I’m going to spoil him or her silly.  And if it is a boy, that’s wonderful, but then I want to try for a girl.  Starting tonight.”

Felicity grinned. “You know, my love, you do have to get the first one out before you can move another one in.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that; you always say I can do anything.  Maybe I could start up a second one while this one’s still baking. It’s worth a try.”

“You go ahead and try all you want to. If anyone can do it, you can. Besides, all these pregnancy hormones make me extra-ravenous for you.”

“I know. It’s fantastic.”

Oliver smiled as she rewarded him with her sparkling laugh, and he wanted to stand here forever and just listen to it, but the clinking of glass drowned the sound out. He looked up, watching as everyone tapped their spoons against champagne flutes.  “Hmm. I think they want me to kiss you.”

“Well, they are our guests, so who are we to deny them what they want?”

He looked into her bright, eager eyes for a moment before focusing in on her lips. Then he bent down and placed his mouth on hers.  He meant to keep the kiss chaste; there were children in the room, after all.  But the moment he tasted her, he forgot where he was. Especially when he felt Felicity’s fingers smooth into his hair and heard her whimper against his lips. God, she always just melted into him the moment he touched her, every time he touched her. It was the best sensation in the world.

Before Oliver could embarrass them both by taking their actions any further, reality returned in the form of whistling and cheering from the crowd.  He was actually getting used to the fact that people applauded him when he kissed this woman.  It was as if the universe wanted him to know that he was exactly where he needed to be.

A new song started in the background and Oliver finally pulled away from Felicity’s lips in order to take her hand in his.  “Come dance with your husband,” he spoke against her hair before leading her onto the dance floor.  Although it really wasn’t a dance floor at all…it was a field of grass with little wildflowers in it, situated in the middle of the park, surrounded by white tents filled with tables and chairs and lit by fire pits and strings of white lights. When they reached the center, Oliver pulled her onto his chest and began leading her in a slow sway.

Felicity glanced up to his face. “No Robot dance today?”

“Later tonight. Just for you.”

“Naked?”

“If you like.”

She grinned, resting her head on his shoulder.  “I like.”

He chuckled as he pulled her closer.  Other couples came to dance around them, filling in the space, but Oliver took little notice; he closed his eyes and breathed her in and imagined that it was just the two of them. “You know,” he whispered bedside her ear, “I’ve been enjoying working on your list of fantasies these past months. Maybe tonight we could fulfill another one.”

Felicity raised her head to look him in the eye.  “You already did.”

Oliver smiled as he reached a hand up to trace the side of her face.  “Today is definitely perfect.”

“It is,” she agreed, leaning into the touch of his fingers.

“But I still want to work on your list.  Have we even gotten the fantasy-number down under a thousand yet?”

Felicity shook her head. “I know you’d think so, but the problem is that I just keep coming up with more.”

“Hmm, that is a problem. But there must be at least one I could fulfill for you on our wedding night…perhaps an old favorite? Something you’ve never told me about before?”

She grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling with excitement.  “You’re interested in an oldie-but-goodie?   Because I must admit, in addition to the Vampire-biting-scenario and the copy-machine-escapade, I did have a favorite fantasy for several years.”

“Do tell, Felicity.”

“Well, in this particular one, you’re a vigilante.”

His eyebrow rose. “A vigilante?”

“Yes. In a green hood. Taking down the bad guys with your bow and arrow, Robin-Hood-style.”

“Ah, I see.” He took a moment to spin her in a circle before pulling her back.  “Does that make you my Maid Marian?”

“Oh, no. I’m no maiden; I’m your partner. IT girl by day, genius computer hacker by night.  I help you save Starling City.”

Oliver huffed out a laugh. “And I let you?”

Felicity glared. “You don’t _let_ me do anything.  I work alongside you because I’m just as capable as you are, and because it’s my city, too.” 

“Hmm. I’m having trouble with this fantasy,” he prodded, enjoying the little spark of indignation in her light blue eyes. “Not because you’re not capable, of course.  I know you would kick all kinds of computer-hacking ass.”

Her head tilted as she watched him.  “Then what are you having trouble with?”

Oliver’s hands pressed against her back.  “I’m having trouble with the thought that working with vigilante-me would put you in danger. I wouldn’t deal well with that at all, and I’d probably get really angry and defensive about it.”

“Ooh,” she moaned, leaning forward to push her breasts into his chest.  “You mean you’d get all broody and growly with me?”

He chuckled. “Is this actually turning you on?”

Felicity reached her arms up, circling them around his neck.  “I can’t help it; there’s something kind of exciting about you being all manly-protective and growly over me.”

“Well, of course I’m growly…I have a haunted past.”

She laughed, and the sound moved through his entire body.  His arms tightened around her, purely of their own volition. “Oh, you do, do you?” she questioned.

Oliver smiled. “Absolutely.  Who on earth becomes a hooded vigilante without a haunted past?”

“That does make sense, I suppose.”

“It makes perfect sense. Maybe I was shipwrecked on a deserted island with a band of international criminals.”

“Now don’t go getting all crazy on me, Oliver.  This is a fantasy, not a comic book.”

He chuckled and she smiled in return, brushing her hand slowly across his jawline.

“So,” he considered as he relished the feel of her skin on his, “how do I meet my genius computer hacker IT girl?”

“Oh, the usual. You need help with a bullet-ridden laptop and you hear that I’m the best, so you come to find me.”

“I must fall all over you the moment I see you.”

She shook her head. “No, actually. I make you smile and laugh, but you don’t think of me as a love interest at first, because we work so well together and we’re such good friends. It takes a while for the sexual tension to build between us, although I do babble around you and make highly inappropriate innuendos.”

“Well, of course you do. I would expect nothing less.”

Felicity grinned. “And then one day, probably six years after we first meet, you finally just break down and have your way with me.”

“ _Six years_?”  Oliver scoffed.  “There’s absolutely no way it would take me six years to have my way with you.”

She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Okay, okay, Felicity, I get your point.  But just because it took me six years in real life, doesn’t mean I would ever tolerate waiting that long as the growly hooded vigilante with the heart of gold.  I mean…maybe three years, tops.”

She giggled. “You know, I saw how you added that _heart of gold_ part in there.”

“Did you catch that?” he asked with a grin.  “I just thought I’d add my own little twist.  You know how much I love to participate in these fantasies of yours.”

Felicity grabbed hold of his face and pressed a kiss to his mouth, her lips smoothing across his as she hummed in contentment.  “That’s not a twist,” she whispered.  “You’ve always had a heart of gold.  It’s quite sparkly, actually. Blinding, even.”

He looked down into her eyes, seeing the unending love written so clearly inside them. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, sweetheart.  You know that, right?”

With his words, she smiled as bright as the sun.  And Oliver wanted to freeze time right here, so that everything about this day could just go on and on, and he could bask in the warmth of her smile forever. But he didn’t get to freeze anything, because another couple bumped into them and Felicity turned and let out a little, “Oh.”

“Goodness, I’m sorry, dear,” Mrs. Travers-Wilks apologized, her wrinkled hand coming to rest on Felicity’s shoulder. “My husband gets a little wild cutting a rug sometimes.”

“That’s certainly okay,” Felicity offered with a smile, greeting Mr. Wilks before turning back to his wife. “I’m just glad you’re having a good time.”

“Oh, the best time, dear. You made this entire day just perfect; you made everything here magical.  Didn’t she, Oliver?”

He nodded. “She certainly did.”

The cherubic older lady patted him on the arm.  “You two just keep dancing, right into your honeymoon, and then beyond.  And Oliver, be sure to take care of this beautiful bride of yours…and your son, too.”

Felicity’s grin overtook her body. “Yes!  It’s a boy!  I knew it!”

Oliver shook his head. “Are you both ganging up on me with this boy thing?”

Mrs. Travers-Wilks laughed. “May as well get used to it now. We women just know these things.” With that sentiment and another smile, the godmotherly sprite danced off with her husband.

Oliver turned back to Felicity, relishing the joy that lit her eyes. 

“It’s a boy,” Felicity sang.

“Just because she says so?”

“Oh, that woman knows things. Best not to question it.”

He reached for her face, cupping her cheek in his hand.  “I don’t question anything anymore, sweetheart.  I’m just here with you, and I’m happy.”

Tears lit her eyes and Felicity leaned forward, resting her forehead against his for a long moment. Oliver breathed in, feeling her warmth surround him.  Then he pulled her closer, until her cheek rested against his shoulder and her rounded belly pressed into his body.

Oliver used the moment of peace to look out into the crowd, watching their loved ones swirl around them. A smiling Tommy held onto a very pregnant Laurel.  Diggle and Lyla, engaged for the last month, snuggled close together. Janice and her husband-of-forty-years held their own with everyone else.  Oliver realized that the entire staff of Arrow Architecture had come to share their day, and the light from the fire pits cast all of their faces in a warm glow.  Everything felt magical, just like Mrs. Travers-Wilks said.  But that made sense, of course, because his Felicity was a sprite, and sprites created magic.  That was just what they did.

She shivered inside his arms and Oliver hugged her closer to his body.  “Are you cold?” he wondered, knowing the breeze felt a bit nippier now that the sun had set.

“I’m never cold when I’m with you,” she repeated a sentence she’d told him many times before. “But you do make me shiver for other reasons.”

“And what reasons would those be?”

“Oh, too many to count. And I’m just so excited that, in a few hours, we’re going to fly away together and have three whole weeks to ourselves to…” Felicity’s voice trailed off as her body stiffened against him. She looked up to his face with wide eyes.  “Holy crap, Oliver, please tell me you locked your desk drawer before you left work yesterday, because I don’t want anyone idly wandering into your office for pen while we’re in Jamaica.”

He chuckled. “Yes, dear, I promise I locked the drawer.”

Felicity’s body eased once again. “Thank goodness. Now we can go to Jamaica worry-free.”

“Yes, we can. And I can’t wait to have you naked and sandy.”

Her brow arched. “Oh, really?  Is that a fantasy of yours, baby?”

Oliver growled as his hands wandered lower on her back.  “You could say that.  I think that was the first really dirty thought I had about you, before I even worked up the nerve to ask you out.”

She grinned devilishly. “So what you’re telling me right now is that my big, bad boss had impure, beastly, lustful thoughts about his sweet little secretary?”

“God, yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you.”  His hands found her ass cheeks then, squeezing them both and using the leverage to fit her body onto his. 

A little gasp left her throat and she moaned against his lips.  “You know, I’m glad you took that picture of my ass when you did, Oliver; I don’t think it will ever look the same after this pregnancy is over.”

“It’ll always be gorgeous. And it’ll always be mine,” he insisted, nipping against her lip before running his tongue across it.

“Alright, alright,” Tommy’s voice came from beside them.  “Hands, Queen.  Hands.”

“Damn it, Tommy,” he grumbled, eliciting laughter from both Tommy and Laurel as they danced beside them.

“Just save something for the honeymoon, buddy,” Tommy requested.

Oliver groaned as he moved his hands back up to the small of his wife’s back and straightened. “You’re right, you’re right,” he conceded.

“Felicity,” Laurel piped up, “Oliver agreed to a triple date with us and the Diggles as soon as you’re back.”

“Oh, yay! That sounds wonderful! We need to talk about what we want to do, and plan for…”

“Nope, no planning, not right now,” Oliver cut in.

“I agree,” Tommy said. “If you two start talking now, Oliver and Felicity will never get to leave for their honeymoon. And I’m thinking that’s something he really wants to do.”

Oliver chuckled, watching in delight as his bride’s cheeks flushed pink. 

“Just try to practice restraint for a little while longer, buddy,” Tommy advised as he twirled Laurel away.

Oliver turned back to Felicity and shook his head.  “You know how much I hate practicing restraint when I’m around you.”

She smiled, easing her hands across his shoulders.  “Yes, I know; I’m not crazy about it, either.  But I think we can make it a bit longer.”

“Alright,” he sighed, resting his cheek against her hair while keeping his hands in a safe place on the middle of her spine.  He allowed his eyes to drift once again to the couples surrounding them, and then over to the outskirts of the wildflower field, where Barry danced with Caitlin.  Oliver watched them for a time, and couldn’t help noticing that Barry held Cate a little closer than normal dancing allowed, while simultaneously grinning like an idiot.  And Cate’s fingers played with the back of Barry’s hair, as her eyes stayed glued to his face.

Oliver chuckled, causing Felicity to raise her head.  “What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing. I just think maybe your best friend likes my brother.”

Felicity peered over at the couple.  “Well, look at that. I think maybe your brother likes my best friend, too.  That’s really wonderful, isn’t it?”  She smiled warmly as she focused on the sight of Barry and Caitlin for a moment longer. Then she turned her head and started giggling.  “Although, if you think that’s interesting, you should really see what’s happening in the corner over there.”

“What’s happening?” Oliver questioned, craning his neck. 

“I do believe Roy Harper is trying to pick up your sister.”

“ _What_?  You mean Roy from _Accounting_?” His eyes finally found the sight of a flustered Mr. Harper, with both hands jammed into his pants’ pockets, attempting to speak to the indomitable Thea Queen. “Oh, good Lord, that boy has no idea what he’s doing.”

“But just look, Oliver…she’s smiling.  In a really good way.”

He watched them for another minute before turning back to his wife and exhaling.  “You’re right, she is,” he admitted.

“Hmm, maybe instead of triple dates when we get back, we’ll need to consider quadruple or quintuple dates.”

“I must say, it does seem like a lot of people around us end up dating or getting married.”

Felicity nodded. “I’ve noticed that, too. At first I thought it was just coincidence, but now I think it might be something more interesting.”

“Yeah? Like what?”

Her eyelids fell to half-mast. “Well, what if you and I are actually descended from gypsies, and we have mystical powers that turn the people around us into crazed, wanton beings?”

Oliver pressed his lips to her cheeks and then to her nose.  “Tell me this involves you wearing a gypsy costume, sweetheart, and I’ll believe anything you say.”

“Oh yes, I’ll need to wear a gypsy costume – I’m an enchantress, after all.”

He looked back to her eyes. “Enchantress sounds fitting. But I wonder what that makes me? Perhaps your harem manservant?”

Felicity giggled. “Do you _want_ to be my harem manservant?”

“The idea has possibilities.”

“Alright then. You’re my manservant, because you’re being punished.”

“Ooh, nice. For what?”

“Because you’re a thief.”

“Yeah? What did I steal?”

“My heart,” she said with a grin.

Oliver chuckled. “Well, I’m not giving it back, you know.”

“Oh, I know. Hence the punishment.”

“That does sound fair,” he offered, leaning down to nibble on her earlobe.  “I think I should warn you, though…my gypsy ancestor was a vampire.”

Felicity shivered. “When is this reception going to end?”

He nipped against her neck. “Not soon enough. Although I have to admit, I like being here, showing off my wife to all my family and friends.”

“That’s because you’re a people person.”

“You’re right, that’s me.”

Felicity looked up into his eyes. “I love you, Mr. Queen.”

Oliver smiled. “I love you more, Mrs. Queen.”

...

A/N:  Hi sweethearts!  Thank you again for reading with me; I really hope you've enjoyed this story.  I am thinking about writing another one, and I already have a little thought I'm working on, so if you'd like to keep reading with me, please feel free to subscribe to me here or follow me on Tumblr at TinaDay3W and I will keep you updated.  Once again, thank you for the love - you're all so awesome!!  :)Tina


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